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
This Week in Words: October 21- 27, 2018
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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.
Bank of America’s good quarter was helped by volatility and an easier regulatory environment.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
Interest in stablecoins is expected to further climb once the Genius Act takes effect in 2027, as the new guardrails lessen their volatility.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
Equity prices declined, sovereign bond yields rose, oil prices surged, and volatility increased across asset classes.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
“A resolution to the Iran conflict could provide some relief … but in the meantime, expect ongoing volatility across the travel sector,” the Melius analysts said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 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.
