as in unpredictable
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
a boss of volatile moods is frustrating to work for
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of volatile
Their relationship was volatile and messy, not tidy or palatable.
—
Clayton Davis, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Sure, the product trades on hype, is highly volatile and has limited real-world applications.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Other notable volatile species such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide could be much lower abundance than water ice.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Major averages, though volatile, have been posting a series of record highs, boosted by further gains in Big Tech stocks and a robust earnings season.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for volatile
Clayton Davis, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Sure, the product trades on hype, is highly volatile and has limited real-world applications.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Other notable volatile species such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide could be much lower abundance than water ice.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Major averages, though volatile, have been posting a series of record highs, boosted by further gains in Big Tech stocks and a robust earnings season.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for volatile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for volatile
Adjective
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This combination allows for precise navigation in tight or unpredictable environments.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
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Tinker was brilliant, unpredictable, and slightly unhinged.—
Henry Selick,
IndieWire,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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On the big screen, Harford cared for Sandra Dee’s Rosalie Stocker in The Wild and the Innocent (1959) and portrayed the opportunistic older sister of Natalie Wood’s unstable title character in Inside Daisy Clover (1965), the melodrama directed by Robert Mulligan.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Nov. 2025
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Despite the improvements, her health has still been unstable over the years, partially due to her diagnosis of pulmonary vein stenosis, a rare disease that narrows the veins connecting the heart and the lungs, her father told the outlet.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Temperatures have equal chances of being below, near or above normal, and precipitation is also variable.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
3 Nov. 2025
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Weights can be adjusted post-fabrication using bistable variable stiffness beams, allowing some matrix entries to switch between positive, negative, or zero.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The initiative’s foundation addresses the problem of inconsistent and burdensome reporting by engaging the industry to define an optional (and non-exhaustive) questionnaire aimed at strengthening data quality and consistency while significantly reducing the administrative burden on suppliers.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Nov. 2025
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Knowing that Irving would miss much of the year recuperating from his ACL tear, Harrison signed inconsistent vet D'Angelo Russell in free agency this summer, but otherwise did little to address an obvious backcourt need.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
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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The midterm landscape remains unsettled just over a year before Election Day.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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Each reluctant participant onthis unsettled game board has an urgent, urgent mission to fleeto the next appointment, meeting, carpool pickup.—
Leslie Simon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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At the moment, its age is still uncertain.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
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How Barton will advance his campaigns now is uncertain.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Volatile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/volatile. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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