fluctuate
Americanverb (used without object)
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to change continually; shift back and forth; vary irregularly.
The price of gold fluctuated wildly last month.
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to move back and forth in waves.
- Synonyms:
- oscillate
verb (used with object)
verb
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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
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have fluctuatedperfect
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has fluctuatedperfect 3rd person singular
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am fluctuatingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been fluctuatingperfect progressive
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fluctuatingparticiple
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are fluctuatingprogressive
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has been fluctuatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is fluctuatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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fluctuatessingular 3rd person
Past
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had fluctuatedperfect
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was fluctuatingprogressive singular
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fluctuatedparticiple
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had been fluctuatingperfect progressive
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were fluctuatingprogressive plural
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fluctuatedsimple
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.
Indexed universal life, on the other hand, typically has the buyer pay in a lump sum to start for a death benefit that can fluctuate.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
After that, if the temperature doesn’t fluctuate, it would “tell us that the fire problem, or the small explosion, has been mitigated,” McGovern said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
The car-parts seller also backed its guidance for the full year, though it noted near-term demand could fluctuate as high gas prices weigh on consumers’ budgets.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
Investors should realize that BDC dividends can fluctuate, and investors should watch credit quality and the direction of interest rates for indications of where they may be headed.
From Barron's • May 21, 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
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.
