volatility

noun

vol·​a·​til·​i·​ty ˌvä-lə-ˈti-lə-tē 

plural volatilities

: the quality or state of being volatile: such as

a

: a tendency to change quickly and unpredictably

price volatility

the volatility of the stock market

b

: a tendency to erupt in violence or anger

the volatility of the region

the volatility of his temper

c

: the quality of being readily vaporizable at a fairly low temperature

As each component of crude oil has a different relative volatility, they will evaporate at different temperatures.

—Martin W. Stockel et al.

Examples of volatility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Besides the fragility of household budgets, these persistent financial pressures reveal the critical role that financial knowledge plays in helping individuals adapt, plan, and protect themselves against volatility. —Jason Phillips, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

Fortune has previously reported that retailers lock in holiday assortments months in advance, and 2025’s tariff volatility has forced last‑minute reorders, product cuts, and pricing shifts—conditions that especially strain small operators with thin margins and limited credit lines. —Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025

Possibly — but this recent cluster of volatility marks a clear change of character from what had been a remarkably steady and low-volatility advance. —Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025

Stocks have been remarkably adaptable, defying concerns about a resurgence in global trade tensions and bouts of intense volatility. —John Towfighi, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for volatility

• affability
• audibility
• bistability
• capability
• changeability
• contractility
• credibility
• culpability
• disability
• disutility
• durability
• fallibility