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
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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:
But the truth is, the two men have a storied on-off relationship that seems to fluctuate based on who’s grabbing the check.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
At higher temperatures, the direction of that magnetism, known as the atom's magnetic moment, can fluctuate freely.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026
The rate that would achieve the Fed’s dual mandate is unknown, interest rates fluctuate with economic performance, and inflationary expectations aren’t observable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
The spreads between tax-exempt yields and Treasury yields fluctuate over long periods.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
The rings of concentric circles along its barrel fluctuate through a rainbow of glowing colors as the weapon powers up.
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
It population fluctuates but more than 1,000 people can be based there at any given time.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
Scientists often study a measurement called functional connectivity, which describes how closely activity in different parts of the brain fluctuates together.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
While her $3,400 rent is the same each month, her utility bill, which includes charges for shared utilities including water, wastewater, hot water and HVAC, fluctuates by hundreds of dollars.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 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
In addition, receptivity to innovation fluctuates in time within the same region.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Its share price has fluctuated since then, sharply declining in July and August, but it is currently trading 14% higher than its stock market debut.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 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
The share-price performances of hyperscalers like Amazon and Alphabet have fluctuated due to sentiment over the AI boom.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 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
Not only did variation and dip diverge from place to place, but in 1634 a group of English experimenters claimed that variation fluctuated over time.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
But for Musk that’s a relatively trivial amount, even though his fluctuating trillionaire status is currently hovering below the threshold for designation.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
Keep in mind that a bond fund has a fluctuating share price that will move in the opposite direction of interest rates.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
"Of course, we feel caught in the middle," he added, as he he watched a screen showing fluctuating gold prices across the globe.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
She took advantage of the fluctuating form of American opponent Stearns, who is ranked more than 75 places above her, to win 3-6 6-3 6-2.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
It was in this country, in this kind of fluctuating weather, that the agent experienced his only real, deep feelings of awe and perhaps of humility.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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