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.
If it fluctuates or you change jobs, this could affect how your earnings rise.
From BBC
Since I work in sales, my income fluctuates, and some months are better than others.
From MarketWatch
The research indicates that at least during one phase of Snowball Earth, the climate continued to fluctuate on yearly, decadal, and even century long timescales, with patterns resembling those seen in the modern climate system.
From Science Daily
The art conservator's income also fluctuates depending on the assignments she receives from institutions and individuals.
From Barron's
My latest column looks at low-volatility investing: stocks and funds whose prices fluctuate less sharply than the overall market.
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.
