VARIATION Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

variation

noun

ˌver-ē-ˈā-shən

Definition of variation

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

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

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 variation Simulation expands this experience by exposing robots to additional situations and variations before testing their skills on physical machines. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026 The Sunshine State demonstrates that a state can have a wide variation of followers and breakers of laws. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026 The German athletic brand has kept its classic Samba shoe hyper relevant by introducing new variations, such as its recent slip-on version. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026 There are certain whiskeys that are more about variation than consistency; Booker’s is one of them. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for variation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for variation

Noun

The Knight’s Tale children’s department will offer a playful interpretation of the British home, inspired by medieval castles and courts.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
But the agent then inherits whatever semantics each system exposes, which is often very little, and fills the gaps with its own interpretation.

— Felix Liao, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of interpretation

Noun

The past two games were played at the NBA Atlanta Hawks' State Farm Arena and brought in 17,000 fans for each thanks to some schedule alterations, compromise and cooperation from both Atlanta franchises.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
And, yes, this rendition represented a lyrical alteration by the Tonji that departed from the traditional wording of the French national anthem.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of alteration

Noun

Williams joined Penny Taylor in 2007 for Phoenix as the only players in WNBA history to score 30 points or more in a winner-takes-all Finals game.

— Janie McCauley, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
The numbers were flattered by roughly $20 million in sales attributed to earlier-than-expected wholesale shipments, including $15 million of Michael Kors sales and $5 million of Jimmy Choo’s take.

— Evan Clark, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of take

Noun

Gallup found no difference in scam victimization rates by age, and experienced professionals have been duped as well.

— Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
The old boy was perfectly reasonable, explaining the difference between federal reimbursement and state reimbursement, and the speed that agencies move on the different levels.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of difference

Noun

The year before, Milton Reynolds had discovered the pen while visiting Buenos Aires, and rushed home to create his own version, the Reynolds Rocket, which hit stores on October 29, 1945.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
The more self-consciously operatic versions aren’t necessarily closer to the composer’s intentions.

— Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of version

Noun

People heading into the Affordable Care Act open enrollment period with plans to sign up for insurance should expect a variety of changes in 2027, including higher premiums and fewer coverage options.

— Fatima Hussein, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
The second-generation prototype, Max 2, is expected to incorporate several hardware changes.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of change

Noun

An incident at one attraction can lead to inspections or modifications at similar rides elsewhere.

— Dennis Speigel, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
From a chemist’s first search to the perfumer’s modification exploration, there are years and millions of dollars of research before the customer gets wind of anything happening.

— Arabelle Sicardi, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of modification

Browse Nearby Words

variants

variation

variations

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Style

“Variation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/variation. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of variation

noun

Example Sentences

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