fluctuate

[fluhk-choo-eyt]

verb (used without object)

fluctuated, fluctuating 

1. to change continually; shift back and forth; vary irregularly.

   The price of gold fluctuated wildly last month.

2. to move back and forth in waves.

   Synonyms: oscillate

verb (used with object)

fluctuated, fluctuating 

1. to cause to fluctuate.

fluctuate

/ ˈflʌktjʊˌeɪt /

verb

1. to change or cause to change position constantly; be or make unstable; waver or vary

2. (intr) to rise and fall like a wave; undulate

Other Word Forms

• nonfluctuating adjective
• unfluctuating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fluctuate¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of fluctuate¹

C17: from Latin fluctuāre , from fluctus a wave, from fluere to flow

Synonym Study

See waver ¹.

Example Sentences

He added the company’s results may fluctuate from quarter to quarter, partly because automotive companies and governments move slowly on contracts.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The contracts typically pay $1 if the user is correct and $0 if the user is wrong, and their prices fluctuate as users reassess.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Performance can fluctuate wildly from season to season, and even from game to game, for a variety of physical, psychological and tactical reasons.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But the financing rates on swaps can temporarily spike much higher on smaller stocks whose prices are fluctuating sharply.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It’s unclear at this point how many active drivers California has, as the number fluctuates, and rideshare companies do not release the information.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• oscillate 
• seesaw 
• vary 
• veer 
• waver 

When To Use

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.