fluctuate
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to change continually; shift back and forth; vary irregularly.
The price of gold fluctuated wildly last month.
-
to move back and forth in waves.
- Synonyms:
- oscillate
verb (used with object)
verb
-
to change or cause to change position constantly; be or make unstable; waver or vary
-
(intr) to rise and fall like a wave; undulate
Usage
What does fluctuate mean? Fluctuate means to continually change or shift back and forth.The verb is most commonly used in the context of abstract or intangible things that frequently change, such as temperature, the stock market, or someone’s mood.This kind of continual change is called fluctuation.Example: The volume on my TV keeps fluctuating—it gets louder during commercials and then it gets quiet again when the show comes back on.
Related Words
See waver 1.
Other Word Forms
- nonfluctuating adjective
- unfluctuating adjective
Etymology
Origin of fluctuate
First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin fluctuātus “undulated,” past participle of fluctuāre “to flow,” equivalent to fluctu(s) “a flowing” (derivative of fluere “to flow”) + -ātus -ate 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Dragon fruit has helped me diversify the farm income. If coffee prices fall or pepper prices fluctuate, crops like dragon fruit helped me sustain the estate," he says.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
To be sure, oil prices can fluctuate wildly in times of uncertainty.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026
According to Rubner, contracts tied to $5 trillion in underlying value will go up in smoke that day, although that figure could fluctuate between now and then.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026
The company has cautioned investors that metrics such as revenue and gross profit will fluctuate wildly between quarters until the company achieves broader commercialization.
From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026
Rick said, “A humanoid robot is like any other machine; it can fluctuate between being a benefit and a hazard very rapidly. As a benefit it’s not our problem.”
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
