1
as in interpretation
a distinct treatment of something (as a story or a play)
the movie begins with a somewhat irreverent variation on the Nativity story
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in alteration
the act, process, or result of making different
the latest in a long line of variations in her hair color
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of variation
Although the role of the artist agent is becoming increasingly professionalized, informal variations on the job have existed for decades.
—
Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 18 June 2026
The Lotus bangles exemplify that thinking—open, architectural lines invite light to pass through the forms, casting reflections and subtle tonal variations as the wrist moves—objects made to engage naturally with the body.
—Jill Newman, Robb Report, 18 June 2026
The trio of Plethodon salamanders, the southern gray-cheeked, red-cheeked and red-legged salamanders, were once thought to be regional variations of the same species.
—Torben Rick, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
These decisions can result in significant variation between products.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for variation
Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 18 June 2026
The Lotus bangles exemplify that thinking—open, architectural lines invite light to pass through the forms, casting reflections and subtle tonal variations as the wrist moves—objects made to engage naturally with the body.
—Jill Newman, Robb Report, 18 June 2026
The trio of Plethodon salamanders, the southern gray-cheeked, red-cheeked and red-legged salamanders, were once thought to be regional variations of the same species.
—Torben Rick, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
These decisions can result in significant variation between products.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for variation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for variation
Noun
-
Williams, who was sponsored by Puma at the time, wore an interpretation of the shirt at the French Open that year, complete with long, football-style yellow socks.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
The Dior store, located at 650 West 41st Avenue, has an exterior with a distinctive, elegant white marble facade in six finishes, which is enhanced by a graphic interpretation of cannage.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
But with more than a month in between mandatory minicamp and training camp, there could still be some alterations made to the group of 91 players.—
Mike Kaye
June 16,
Charlotte Observer,
16 June 2026
-
An alteration of the measure in no way alters reality.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
The script evolved day by day on location, with scenes sometimes conceived in the moment, and the team held themselves to a discipline of one take per day.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 June 2026
-
The impacts of pumping take years, maybe decades to be fully manifested.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Premium ticket sales made up the difference, and 60% of Delta’s total revenue now comes from higher-margin lines like premium cabins, loyalty programs, and cargo.—
Kevin Williams,
CNBC,
20 June 2026
-
Stay Vigilant While bed bugs are notoriously tricky to eliminate, layered treatment strategies can make all the difference.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
One of Wood’s earliest conversations with Reid centered on abandoning the heeled footwear that helped define earlier versions of the character.—
Precious Fondren,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
Update to the latest version to see all Vogue content, as well as new features like our Runway Genius quiz, Group Chats, and posts from Vogue contributors.—
Alexandra Macon,
Vogue,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
South Korea made one change, moving in Kim Moon-hwan.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
-
Ecuador had few scoring changes in its loss to Ivory Coast.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
The Air Force has said in the past that security modifications to the jet would cost less than $400 million.—
Seung Min Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
The venue already meets many international standards and requires only limited modifications to host the world's best divers in 2028.—
Tim Genske,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Variation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/variation. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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