Synonym Chooser

How does the noun variance contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of variance are conflict, contention, discord, dissension, and strife. While all these words mean "a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony," variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

In what contexts can conflict take the place of variance?

The meanings of conflict and variance largely overlap; however, conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

Where would contention be a reasonable alternative to variance?

While the synonyms contention and variance are close in meaning, contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

When is discord a more appropriate choice than variance?

The words discord and variance can be used in similar contexts, but discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

When would dissension be a good substitute for variance?

In some situations, the words dissension and variance are roughly equivalent. However, dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

When is it sensible to use strife instead of variance?

While in some cases nearly identical to variance, strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of variance However, these are minor aesthetic variances. Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 22 Sep. 2025 With Baku's mix of tight walls, heavy braking zones and the longest straight on the calendar, expect plenty of slipstreaming, DRS trains and strategy variance—especially for those out of position looking to recover. Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025 To be sure, individual personalities mean there is wide variance in how much the staffers collaborate. Mike Lillis, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025 In any work environment, these leaders determine 70% of the variance in team engagement—but few are trained to lead a hybrid team. Julia Korn, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for variance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for variance
Noun
  • The passage of the ACA in 2010 and its implementation have only intensified this friction.
    Simon F. Haeder, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Armenian prisoners of war in Azerbaijan remain a point of friction and the rhetoric over the corridor has not died down.
    Michele Crestani, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Disboard lists many public discord servers and many young coders use the site, contributing a different demographic of coders.
    Stephen Cass, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Sep. 2025
  • But warning signs of discord between networks and affiliates had been flashing for years.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The sport of off-roading suffers from a fundamental discordance: The desire to get out into nature and the irreparable harm inherent in the process of off-roading.
    Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025
  • Many of the tunes including sprawling intros and jam sessions, all melded together with discordance, reverb and instrumental solos.
    Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • Robert also produced the film, which followed a group of Southern whiskey runners getting into chases and conflicts with federal agents.
    Andrew McGowan, Variety, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Netanyahu has come under increasing pressure from the international community and Trump to end the conflict.
    Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Tensions arise when a struggling, idealistic poet meets his girlfriend’s family at their idyllic, hillside countryside home in Hong Sang-soo’s latest feature — a quietly profound meditation on the complexities of filial love and familial strife.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The singer has been compared to the late Amy Winehouse, in part because both are British and have deep, soulful voices that sing about personal strife and conflict.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The discordancy is so intriguing — like learning that Katharine Graham went to nude encounter sessions at Esalen, or Alan Greenspan was once in a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band.
    New York Times, New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021
Noun
  • To end the war and reunite the remaining hostages with their mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Broadening the menu with less expensive options is also a way for chain restaurants to fight back against fast food chains, which are currently embroiled in a war amongst themselves, according to Maeve Webster, president of consulting firm Menu Matters.
    Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Most notable was her dissent in June when the court stripped lower court judges of the power to impose nationwide court orders.
    Nina Totenberg, NPR, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Today’s playbook is similar to 1947 – label any dissent as unpatriotic, subversive, Marxist, and so on.
    Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Variance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/variance. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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