fluctuate
Americanverb (used without object)
-
fluctuates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
fluctuated,
past participle, past
-
fluctuating
present participle
-
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)
-
fluctuates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
fluctuated,
past participle, past
-
fluctuating
present participle
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.
Synonym Usage
See waver 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
fluctuatesimple
-
fluctuatessimple
-
have fluctuatedperfect
-
has fluctuatedperfect
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am fluctuatingprogressive
-
are fluctuatingprogressive
-
is fluctuatingprogressive
-
have been fluctuatingperfect progressive
-
has been fluctuatingperfect progressive
Past
-
fluctuatedsimple
-
had fluctuatedperfect
-
was fluctuatingprogressive
-
were fluctuatingprogressive
-
had been fluctuatingperfect progressive
Future
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
Explanation
Something that fluctuates varies or changes — it's the opposite of steady. Like the ups and downs of the stock market or the relationship status of a Hollywood starlet. Fluctuate is a verb that describes movement, sometimes irregular, but often rising and falling in a wave-like pattern. The tides fluctuate according to the weather and season, for example. Your emotions fluctuate depending on what happens throughout the day, and so does your weight. In fact, you usually weigh less in the morning, before you've eaten. You're also taller, since your spine compresses as you walk around. So your height fluctuates, too.
Vocabulary lists containing fluctuate
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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List 3
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Darius the Great Is Not Okay
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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.
See Examples For:
The wealth of billionaires is tied heavily to stock prices that fluctuate, and they might take actions to reduce their taxes, the analysis said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
It matters because prices for fruit, especially high-value berries such as strawberries or blueberries can fluctuate wildly.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
He also noted that an individual’s T levels fluctuate constantly and can be affected by stress and poor sleep.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
Variable rates can fluctuate with the market and increase the total cost of paying off the loan.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
Hugh has been advised to try again: scores can fluctuate according to stress and circumstance, and he's right on the cusp of Mensa qualification.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Two central midfielders and two central defenders look to solve problems against pressing attackers with a shape that fluctuates between a 2-2 or a 3-1.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
As packages are unveiled and sold, available inventory on the website fluctuates — which means fans can spend a lot of time checking and rechecking.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
It’s one of the largest concentrations of capybaras in São Paulo, though its exact number of members fluctuates.
From Slate ● May 27, 2026
However, the market price of such funds could vary greatly from the net value of their assets, Mishra noted, as trading in those fund shares fluctuates based on investor demand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 2026
The quota system has worked for over two hundred years, and although it fluctuates region to region, it makes it crystal clear what each scythe’s responsibility to the world is.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
It has fluctuated around that threshold since, with the trajectory largely following oil prices for months.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
After the cryptocurrency was first released, back in 2009, its price had fluctuated between nothing and $1 for over two years.
From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026
Asian markets fluctuated, though tech firms continued to enjoy a recovery from July's rout, as the AI boom returns to the fore.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
That number fluctuated during the early 19th century, mostly for administrative reasons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
She had been chubby as a child, at least to some eyes, and in her teens her weight fluctuated wildly.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
But it certainly adds a fresh twist to a season of fluctuating fortunes at the front, in which the only real constant has been Kimi Antonelli, as the championship heads into its final stretch.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
However, headline inflation is expected to be lower than previously assessed, it said Wednesday, reflecting fluctuating global energy prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Investors have increasingly turned to healthcare and biopharma stocks this summer as part of a rotation away from the fluctuating performance of tech and semiconductor stocks.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
Taipei, Singapore, Jakarta and and Wellington were also up, with Manila fluctuating.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
I was out of the water, if only by a fluctuating two, three feet.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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.
