various

1 of 2

adjective

var·​i·​ous ˈver-ē-əs 

1

: of an indefinite number greater than one

stop at various towns

2

: individual, separate

rate increases granted in the various states

3

a

: of differing kinds : multifarious

b

: dissimilar in nature or form : unlike

4

: varicolored

birds of various plumage

5

: having a number of different aspects or characteristics

a various place

6

archaic : variable, inconstant

variousness noun

various

2 of 2

pronoun

plural in construction

: an indefinite number of separate individuals greater than one

have read various of her essays

Synonyms

Adjective

• chromatic
• colored
• colorful
• kaleidoscopic
• motley
• multicolored
• multihued
• polychromatic
• polychrome
• prismatic
• rainbow
• varicolored
• varied
• variegated

Choose the Right Synonym for various

different, diverse, divergent, disparate, various mean unlike in kind or character.

different may imply little more than separateness but it may also imply contrast or contrariness.

different foods

diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast.

such diverse interests as dancing and football

divergent implies movement away from each other and unlikelihood of ultimate meeting or reconciliation.

went on to pursue divergent careers

disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility.

disparate notions of freedom

various stresses the number of sorts or kinds.

tried various methods

Examples of various in a Sentence

Adjective

He has lived in places as various as New York and Beijing.

for their various and bizarrely shaped plumage, males of the bird of paradise species have few rivals

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

By identifying particular destinations that resonate with various traveler groups - solo adventurers, families, or couples - 12Go demonstrates a deep understanding of their customer base. —Tyler Shepherd, Detroit Free Press, 2 Apr. 2024

Artists like Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Ice Spice, Jonas Brothers and many others also received recognition across the various categories. —Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024

Scanlan is the author of three books, in addition to a significant career writing for various literary magazines. —Eva Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024

That list includes two former Haitian presidents, three former prime ministers, four senators, and various other top officials. —Pierre Esperance, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2024

Twinkling lights lined the ceiling of her office; a small flip book depicting various emotions was opened to a page with a purple creature gritting its teeth and holding up its fists in frustration. —Ariel Gilreath, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024

The special, titled Quiet on Set: Breaking the Silence, will be moderated by Soledad O’Brien and will delve deeper into the various claims of Nickelodeon creating a toxic workplace for the child stars and crew. —Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2024

The legislation capped off a raucous legislative meeting that was interrupted at various points by three separate protests on unrelated issues. —Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024

In Europe and the U.S., women have more access to career development support through various programs and mentorships. —Billboard Japan, Billboard, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin varius "having contrasting colors, of different kinds, changeable" (of uncertain origin) + Middle English -ous, -os -ous

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Pronoun

1877, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing various

• various and sundry
• many and various

Kids Definition

various

adjective

var·​i·​ous

ˈver-ē-əs,

ˈvar-

1

: of different kinds

2

: different one from another : unlike

animals as various as cat and mouse

3

: having many different characteristics

spring is a various season

4

: made up of an indefinite number greater than one

stopped at various places along the way

variously adverb

variousness noun