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

Examples of variance in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web Because of its proximity to the equator, there is not a lot of variance between hours of daylight during the year. Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024 Brush strokes at the microscale Enlarge / Relative scale and spacing of the whirling brush strokes in van Gogh’s The Starry Night, along with variances in luminance of the paint. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 17 Sep. 2024 The variance between the Big Four and MLS is indicative of the differences in pay and prestige between MLS and the other leagues. Chris Deubert, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 In a nutshell: the conclusion of a woman’s reproductive life, starting anywhere from age 40 to 44, though there can be variances on either side. Angela Haupt, TIME, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for variance 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for variance
Noun
  • Wear them beneath any V-neck sweater or sweater dress for a very chic look that doesn’t cause any friction or add bulk to the arms.
    Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2024
  • If the trash were in a lower Earth orbit, like around the distance from Earth to the International Space Station, debris would break down due to friction.
    Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Watching the ‘turmoil’ As the campaigns unfolded over recent months, Beijing’s state media has honed in on social discord and polarization in the US.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
  • Investigators are trying to determine if the suspect is a pro-Palestinian activist or someone trying to sow discord, according to the newspaper.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Unlike their countrymen in the contemporary tropicalia movement (Gilberto Gil, Os Mutantes), the Minas Gerais musicians favored languid drift and golden melody over genre-busting and discordance, and Lo Borges is as good an album as the moment produced.
    Vulture Editors, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2024
  • The lengthy obituaries detailed my career accomplishments and deep ties to family and friends with the uncanny discordance of an AI bot.
    Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024
Noun
  • Questions about Gaza conflict for Harris In Michigan, however, Harris faced one other possible hurdle.
    Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Early in the war, concerns that the invasion increased the danger of a nuclear detonation or accidental explosion focused on the risk to Ukraine’s four nuclear power plants and Russia’s threats to intentionally escalate the conflict past the nuclear threshold.
    William M. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The Hot Boys reunion came after numerous delays due to internal strife among the group members.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Johnson, who was propelled to office with union support, has threatened to fire CEO Martinez over the financial strife.
    Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Seven active duty members of the Ukrainian military who were musicians before the war started in 2022 have been on a goodwill tour of the West Coast and will perform in downtown San Jose on Nov. 17.
    Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
  • The filing also discusses regulatory disclosures, including the impact of geopolitical risks such as the Russia-Ukraine war and Middle East conflict on commodity prices.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The board asked her to step in after voting 6-1 Friday to accept Wayne's immediate resignation — the lone vote in dissent was from Commissioner Kevine Boggess, who felt Wayne should have been fired, Mission Local reports.
    Shawna Chen, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
  • In dynamic areas such as science and medicine, moderation should be transparent because fact-checkers have mistaken legitimate minority opinion and insightful dissent for misinformation.
    F.D. Flam, The Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • That’s where a large schism appears between WWE and AEW fans, but since Triple H took over WWE’s creative process two years ago, it’s led to a clear uptick in quality for WWE’s PPVs and even its TV shows.
    Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
  • The conundrum appears to have created a schism between some of Iran’s top leaders, who are proceeding with caution, and its biggest hard-liners, who are demanding swift and decisive action.
    Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near variance

Cite this Entry

“Variance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/variance. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on variance

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