volatile

adjective

ˈvä-lə-tᵊl How to pronounce volatile (audio)
Definition of volatilenext
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

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 volatile Back in the early 1980s, amid a volatile chicken market, McDonald’s needed help pricing its nuggets and limiting the risk of menu price fluctuations. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026 Introducing nuclear weapons into volatile regional disputes also drastically raises the stakes for unintended escalation, Facini added. — Anniek Bao,lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026 What Shippers Should Take From This For companies choosing a logistics partner in a volatile market, Schulz’s experience points to criteria that rarely appear on a procurement scorecard. — Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 An expert in hand-to-hand combat, Marcus becomes a steady, rational presence in Slough House, often teaming with Shirley on duty and tempering her volatile energy. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for volatile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for volatile
  1. unpredictable
  2. unstable
  3. variable
  4. inconsistent
  5. changeful
  6. unsettled
  7. uncertain
Adjective
  • Klayton Adams wants his offense to be creative and complex, physical and unpredictable, to break rules but still feel realistic.
    — Jon Machota, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Later, the Moon opposes unpredictable Uranus, shifting schedules, conversations, or logistics.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of unpredictable
Adjective
  • At the same time, categorical funding can be unstable from year to year due to changing priorities and how much money the state has to appropriate.
    — Jason Burns, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Inside a fusion machine, the plasma can reach temperatures hotter than the Sun’s core while powerful magnetic fields squeeze it into a tiny, unstable space.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of unstable
Adjective
  • The power of variable ratio reinforcement attracts and retains gamblers in a way blackjack, roulette, or craps do not.
    — Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Winds will be light and variable becoming east-southeast at 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon.
    — Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of variable
Adjective
  • Jalen Coker’s three-year, $36 million contract solidified him as Carolina’s WR2, and his Round 11 ADP looks like a bargain compared to Tetairoa McMillan’s Round 4 price given the target competition around Bryce Young’s inconsistent passing attack.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The pitch had inconsistent shape and was difficult to command.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of inconsistent
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of changeful
Adjective
  • The pattern could remain a little unsettled into the weekend, but confidence in rain chances remains low.
    — Andrew Kozak, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The volume was another big shift, too, as Simpson has had a strikingly low number of reps in training camp despite the unsettled nature of the Rams’ backup quarterback position after Jimmy Garoppolo’s departure.
    — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsettled
Adjective
  • Why people are uncertain about vaccines Vaccine hesitancy is much more complicated than outright opposition to vaccines, Steier said.
    — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Traditional business moats are eroding, exemplified by Chegg's collapse, as the market prices certainty into an inherently uncertain technology, causing unprecedented volatility and layoffs.
    — Jemma Green, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of uncertain

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voids
volatile
volatileness
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Cite this Entry

“Volatile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/volatile. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of volatile for Spanish Speakers

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