Dictionary.com

various

[ vair-ee-uhs ]
/ ˈvɛər i əs /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for: various / variously / variousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

pronoun

Informal. several, many, or numerous ones: I spoke with various of them.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
true
false
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar helpImprove Your Writing

Meet Grammar Coach

Improve Your Writing
Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Origin of various

1545–55; <Latin varius speckled, variegated, hence manifold, diverse; see -ous

OTHER WORDS FROM various

Words nearby various

variolitic, varioloid, variolous, variometer, variorum, various, various and sundry, variscite, varisized, varistor, varitype
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

WHEN TO USE

What are other ways to say various?

Various means “of different kinds” or “differing one from another.” How does various compare to different, distinct, and diverse? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Words related to various

different, diversified, varied, disparate, separate, distinct, sundry, assorted, discrete, diverse, individual, numerous, changeable, changing, distinctive, heterogeneous, legion, manifold, many, multifarious

Example sentences from the Web for various

British Dictionary definitions for various

various
/ (ˈvɛərɪəs) /

determiner

  1. several differenthe is an authority on various subjects
  2. not standard (as pronoun; followed by of)various of them came

adjective

of different kinds, though often within the same general category; diversevarious occurrences; his disguises are many and various
(prenominal) relating to a collection of separate persons or thingsthe various members of the club
displaying variety; many-sidedhis various achievements are most impressive
poetic variegated
obsolete inconstant

Derived forms of various

variously, adverbvariousness, noun

Word Origin for various

C16: from Latin varius changing; perhaps related to Latin vārus crooked

usage for various

The use of different after various should be avoided: the disease exists in various forms (not in various different forms)
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
FEEDBACK