vary
Americanverb (used with object)
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varies,
present (3rd person singular)
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varied,
past participle, past
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varying
present participle
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to change or alter, as in form, appearance, character, or substance.
to vary one's methods.
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to cause to be different from something else.
The orchestra varied last night's program with one new selection.
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to avoid or relieve from uniformity or monotony; diversify.
to vary one's diet.
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Music. to alter (a melody or theme) by modification or embellishments without changing its identity.
verb (used without object)
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varies,
present (3rd person singular)
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varied,
past participle, past
-
varying
present participle
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to show diversity; be different.
The age at which children are ready to read varies.
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to undergo change in appearance, form, substance, character, etc..
The landscape begins to vary as one drives south.
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to change periodically or in succession; differ or alternate.
Demand for certain products varies with the season.
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to diverge; depart; deviate (usually followed byfrom ).
to vary from the norm.
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Mathematics. to be subject to change.
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Biology. to exhibit variation.
verb
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to undergo or cause to undergo change, alteration, or modification in appearance, character, form, attribute, etc
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to be different or cause to be different; be subject to change
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(tr) to give variety to
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to differ, as from a convention, standard, etc
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(intr) to change in accordance with another variable
her mood varies with the weather
pressure varies directly with temperature and inversely with volume
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(tr) music to modify (a theme) by the use of variation
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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variernoun
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overvaryverb
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intervaryverb (used without object)
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self-varyingadjective
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unvaryingadjective
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varyingadjective
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unvaryinglyadverb
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varyinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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varysimple
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variessimple
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have variedperfect
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has variedperfect
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am varyingprogressive
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are varyingprogressive
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is varyingprogressive
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have been varyingperfect progressive
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has been varyingperfect progressive
Past
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variedsimple
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had variedperfect
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was varyingprogressive
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were varyingprogressive
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had been varyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of vary
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English varien, from Latin variāre, equivalent to vari(us) ( see various) + -āre infinitive suffix
Explanation
If you're tired of the same old breakfast of bran flakes and orange juice, vary your routine—put some banana slices on those bran flakes. You can vary the routine by changing the details but keeping the basics the same. Use the verb vary when you're talking about changing up your usual routine. If your schedule changes at work, you might have to vary your sleep habits. A good dye job will vary the tints a little to look more natural. The ambiance at Olive Garden varies from restaurant to restaurant, but the unlimited breadsticks are always delicious. You'll probably recognize the root vari, which shows up in other words with similar meanings, like various, variable, and even variegated.
Vocabulary lists containing vary
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 5
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 3
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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.
See Examples For:
That shift can put Southern California in the crosshairs of potentially potent tropical moisture, though the pattern’s effects vary by area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
The techniques vary: either seeding rockets are burned to release a plume of particles, or the saline solution is sprayed directly into the cloud for greater precision.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
However, the price for a short-term let can vary dramatically depending on the type – such as a private or shared room within property or booking an entire home - and the number of people.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
In America, I was paid every two weeks, and the amount in each paycheck would vary.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
There are two possibilities, although the details associated with them may vary.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Standard home inspections don’t necessarily involve checks for problems like lead, mold or termites — but that also varies by state and inspector.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
For students at other universities, campus dining varies in affordability.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
It's tricky to quantify and varies by location - estimates suggest it could be anything from hundreds of pounds to £10,000 on average extra, external a year.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
The course of chronic blood cancer varies widely between patients.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026
The volume of these same toy blocks varies between 1 and 125 cubic inches.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
They have varied from obscure Latin texts to cowboy novels.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
The trials are small and varied, so we cannot draw firm conclusions.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
His filmography is as vast and varied as this bizarre castle’s meanderings, with life lessons for anyone.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
Rather, the deeply personal and varied work—textiles, furniture, drawing and prints, videos and installations—adds up to an intimate diary of an artist for whom art and life have always been inseparable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Thus the printing press took scattered astronomers and astrologers belonging to different cultures and holding varied intellectual commitments and allowed the widespread exchange and comparison of ideas.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Recent media reporting has portrayed varying perspectives on operational tempo, crew morale and the realities facing our deployed forces.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
And the varying level of change at each team was reflected in the numbers at the eight different venues.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Meyer recalls that when she lived with McLean there was a seemingly endless cycle of cats that would stay with them for varying periods of time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
In the 12-week study, 74 adults consumed different amounts of dairy under varying dietary conditions.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
All the initiates except the Amity boy made it onto the roof, with varying levels of success.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
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.
