1
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
a fluctuating stock market makes it hard for investors to know what to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in changing
not staying constant
our speed was constantly fluctuating, so the figure of 50 miles per hour is just an average
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in varying
to pass from one form, state, or level to another
temperatures will fluctuate between the low and high 50s today
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fluctuating
Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2025
Many rival fans have had a good laugh at Tottenham and their wildly fluctuating results this season.
—Nick Miller, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
The same amount of water per unit time can arrive as a smooth, steady rain of many small drops or as a strongly fluctuating shower with fewer but much larger drops.
—Douglas Natelson, Scientific American, 19 Mar. 2024
Irwin said that the characters’ runaway emotions are mirrored by the wildly fluctuating time signatures.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2024
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
In the northern and central United States, including Wisconsin, the cool spring season will consist of fluctuating warm and cold spells, the Farmers' Almanac predicts.
—Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Joy Neumeyer What do the far right’s fluctuating fortunes in Poland suggest about countries seeking an off-ramp from autocracy?
—Leah Downey, The New York Review of Books, 7 Feb. 2026
In the days leading up to the deadline, Kalshi had several posts on X highlighting its event contracts on Antetokounmpo’s trade market and the fluctuating odds connected to the teams believed to be in the mix for his services.
—Jay Cohen, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2026
Expect cooler-than-average temperatures across Iowa, with fluctuating warm and cold spells.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 6 Feb. 2026
Illinois lawmakers recently flirted with a tax on unrealized gains—think of stocks yet to be sold at fluctuating prices that only exist on paper—before retreating.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
With currents shifting beneath the surface and temperatures fluctuating, people should exercise extreme caution before venturing out.
—Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
In his teens and early 20s, a variety of knocks and muscle strains — plus a variety of coaches with fluctuating opinions of him — complicated his development.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Don’t Leave Pumpkins to Extreme Elements Pumpkins prefer consistency, so fluctuating temperatures—such as freezing nights followed by warm, sunny days—can weaken them.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2025
Many rival fans have had a good laugh at Tottenham and their wildly fluctuating results this season.
—Nick Miller, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
The same amount of water per unit time can arrive as a smooth, steady rain of many small drops or as a strongly fluctuating shower with fewer but much larger drops.
—Douglas Natelson, Scientific American, 19 Mar. 2024
Irwin said that the characters’ runaway emotions are mirrored by the wildly fluctuating time signatures.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2024
Verb
Marlins are projected to win about 75 games this season, that number fluctuating a game or two depending on the model used.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
In the northern and central United States, including Wisconsin, the cool spring season will consist of fluctuating warm and cold spells, the Farmers' Almanac predicts.
—Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Joy Neumeyer What do the far right’s fluctuating fortunes in Poland suggest about countries seeking an off-ramp from autocracy?
—Leah Downey, The New York Review of Books, 7 Feb. 2026
In the days leading up to the deadline, Kalshi had several posts on X highlighting its event contracts on Antetokounmpo’s trade market and the fluctuating odds connected to the teams believed to be in the mix for his services.
—Jay Cohen, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2026
Expect cooler-than-average temperatures across Iowa, with fluctuating warm and cold spells.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 6 Feb. 2026
Illinois lawmakers recently flirted with a tax on unrealized gains—think of stocks yet to be sold at fluctuating prices that only exist on paper—before retreating.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
With currents shifting beneath the surface and temperatures fluctuating, people should exercise extreme caution before venturing out.
—Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
In his teens and early 20s, a variety of knocks and muscle strains — plus a variety of coaches with fluctuating opinions of him — complicated his development.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fluctuating
Adjective
-
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images As stock markets continue to be volatile, investors looking for a stable income stream can bolster their portfolios with the addition of attractive dividend stocks.—
,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Core inflation, which strips out volatile categories, was also right in line with expectations.—
Steve Kopack,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In some studies, gloves not changed between tasks had higher bacterial counts and could transfer germs just as easily as ungloved hands, underscoring the need for frequent changing and proper hand hygiene.—
Evan Moore
December 19,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Data on the cloud doesn’t disappear The policy also makes clear that footage can stay on cloud servers for varying amounts of time, but also gives users the right to view and delete video at their discretion.—
Safiyah Riddle,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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With 65 bedrooms, 20 apartments and four lofts, the range of accommodations suits groups of varying sizes.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In today's environment, where inflation pressures haven't fully disappeared and energy costs remain unpredictable, different silver miners can react very differently to the same silver price move.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Trump remains unpredictable, though, and eager to seek retribution.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Despite substantial investment, outcomes remain uneven, and access to alternatives is often constrained by income.—
Carol Platt Liebau,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Bets on economic resilience have recently fueled gains in companies that tend to benefit from improving growth prospects, the latest data underscored the uneven labor market characterized by limited numbers of overall dismissals and lackluster hiring.—
Rita Nazareth,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Set inside the world’s most popular video game, the film imagines a next-gen AI system that allows in-game characters to become sentient, shifting the game from entertainment into a living universe that awakens, evolves and begins interacting with human beings.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
To his credit, the filmmaker handles this dark material with considerable showmanship, shifting from the most striking chiaroscuro black-and-white to bursts of near-garish technicolor, giving each grim coda a distinct visual texture.—
Ben Croll,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Rigorous, blustery winter; winding sleety spring; hot, moist enervating summer; changeful autumn with its dog-days; these are absolutely unknown.—
San Diego Union-Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Jan. 2023
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Hers is the kind of face that inspires directors to tight framing — gleaming, as if smoothed from marble, and yet somehow pliant, changeful.—
Jordan Kisner Jack Davison,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2022
Adjective
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Studies show annual turnover among nursing assistants can approach 100%, and home care roles see turnover rates of around 75%, reflecting both burnout and unstable hours.—
Allie Canal,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
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The Associated Press reported on February 9 that heavy snowfall and an unstable snowpack were the cause of most of the deaths.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fluctuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fluctuating. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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