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Synonyms

varied

American  
[vair-eed] / ˈvɛər id /

adjective

  1. characterized by or exhibiting variety; various; diverse; diversified.

    varied backgrounds.

  2. changed; altered.

    a varied estimate.

  3. having several different colors; variegated.


varied British  
/ ˈvɛərɪd /

adjective

  1. displaying or characterized by variety; diverse

  2. modified or altered

    the amount may be varied without notice

  3. varicoloured; variegated

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of varied

First recorded in 1580–90; vary + -ed 2

Explanation

Something is varied when it covers a wide range of things. If you start out eating eggs in the morning, then have a snack of sushi, then pizza for lunch, fresh fruit with your tea, and a beef stew for dinner, you have a varied diet. The word varied comes from vary, which means "to change, alter." Think of varied as describing something that has many altered forms or has been changed often. There are many varied ideas on how to improve the economy. The artist has painted in varied styles as his interests have changed. And a varied workout routine will keep you from getting bored.

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Vocabulary lists containing varied

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.

The report states that water quality at the pier has historically varied within and between years.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

They varied factors including the masses and sizes of the black holes, the amount of surrounding dark matter, and the density of that matter.

From Science Daily • May 19, 2026

Economists asked ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude which jobs might have the most AI “exposure”—and the models often gave answers that varied widely.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Reassess your spending model in varied budget categories.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

Leah learned that Maggie and Kate were local celebrities; but opinions varied.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

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