volatility
Americannoun
Explanation
Volatility is the trait of being excitable and unpredictable. Your volatility might ultimately be the thing that makes you unsuitable as a preschool teacher. The noun volatility is the characteristic of changing often and unpredictably. Your sister's volatility might be shown in how quickly she switches from laughing to crying. If you talk about the volatility of the stock market, stock prices are most likely fluctuating wildly. In chemistry, volatility means the speed with which a substance changes from solid to liquid, liquid to vapor, and so on. The root is the Latin volatilis, "fleeting, transitory, flying."
Vocabulary lists containing volatility
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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.
“In the meantime, the flow of oil and gas is still effectively cut off, paving the way for more volatility ahead.”
From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026
“However, as volatility increased during the back half of the quarter, clients took a slightly more defensive posture,” Verdeschi said, according to a FactSet transcript.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
He argues that tech companies aren’t energy-intensive manufacturers, and many of them are asset-light global giants that remain largely insulated from oil-price volatility.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
Davidson analyst Michael Baker wrote that “market volatility, including for precious-metals pricing, is continuing to lead to wider spreads,” a setup that should drive strong profit growth and carry Gold.com stock higher.
From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026
He was feared and admired for his fistfighting skills, drop-of-a-hat volatility, thundering bass voice, and daring.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
