variable 1 of 2

adjective

ˈver-ē-ə-bəl How to pronounce variable (audio)
Definition of variablenext
1
as in adjustable
capable of being readily changed a variable expense that we could reduce if we needed to

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly highly variable income from his job as a real estate agent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

variable

2 of 2

noun

as in variable star

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of variable
Adjective
In late February, the nation largely escaped big snowstorms and record-breaking temperatures, but March often comes with variable and extreme weather as the seasons clash between winter's chill and spring's warmth. — Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025 Annual race conditions for Iditarod can be as variable as the winter seasons, Thoman said. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
Researchers adjusted their findings to account for variables such as age, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, total calorie intake, as well as other dietary patterns using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index. — Julianna Bragg, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025 While the overwhelming sentiment on Wall Street, inside the company and in media circles is that the transaction will indeed close, the timeline and cost of a potential settlement with Trump are big variables in the equation. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for variable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for variable
  1. volatile
  2. variable star
  3. adaptable
  4. unpredictable
  5. white dwarf
  6. flexible
  7. neutron star
  8. quasar
Adjective
  • His masculinity, though less volatile, is as stunted as Stanley’s.
    — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025
  • While many are penciling in lower stock values due to higher risks of a recession and elevated inflation due to a rising chance of a trade war, others say the volatile stock market needs some context.
    — Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of volatile
Noun
  • Among the supernovas in the data will be other transient events such as variable stars and kilonovas, the violent collision between extreme dense stellar remnants called neutron stars.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Jan. 2025
  • In particular, Leavitt would scrutinize images of the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds, and had identified 1,800 variable stars within them.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 17 Jan. 2025
Definition of variable star
Adjective
  • Embracing Adaptive Work Structures Introducing adaptable work frameworks, such as flexi-time arrangements, can empower employees to balance work and personal commitments more effectively.
    — Wayne Yu, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
  • With a strong focus on technical education and skill-building, the region has cultivated an adaptable, highly skilled labor force that meets the demands of next-generation manufacturing.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of adaptable
Adjective
  • March Madness will always be unpredictable—but that doesn't mean your bracket has to be.
    — Kilty Cleary, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Sometimes, as today’s business leaders are well aware, the future is unpredictable, and its demands are unprecedented.
    — Anar Mammadov, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of unpredictable
Noun
  • But further observations of this and other white dwarf stars would be needed to clarify the conundrum.
    — Michael Irving, New Atlas, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Type Ia supernova explosions spur the destruction of white dwarf stars that have accreted too much mass.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2025
Definition of white dwarf
Adjective
  • But remember to keep your calendar flexible and don’t be afraid to pivot.
    — Sean McNally, Outdoor Life, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Changes in economic conditions, market volatility, or new tax laws demand that individuals and business owners remain flexible and proactive.
    — Aleksandar Jakovljevic, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of flexible
Noun
  • As the star's core rapidly crushes down to form a neutron star, the outer layers and most of the star's mass are blown away in a core-collapse supernova.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 25 Feb. 2025
  • That year observations of a merging neutron star revealed that gravitational waves and electromagnetic waves arrived at Earth within three seconds of each other—after traversing a distance of 130 million light-years.
    — Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 26 Feb. 2025
Definition of neutron star
Noun
  • The luminous cores of distant, ancient galaxies, quasars expel jets of energetic matter.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN, 13 Feb. 2025
  • But other sources, like quasars, supernovae and gamma ray bursts, can fire off particles at extremely high energies.
    — Michael Irving, New Atlas, 29 Nov. 2024
Definition of quasar

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“Variable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/variable. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on variable

Nglish: Translation of variable for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about variable

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