vary

[ vair-ee ]

verb (used with object)

, var·ied, var·y·ing.

1. to change or alter, as in form, appearance, character, or substance:

   to vary one's methods.

   Synonyms: mutate, modify

2. to cause to be different from something else:

   The orchestra varied last night's program with one new selection.

3. to avoid or relieve from uniformity or monotony; diversify:

   to vary one's diet.

4. Music. to alter (a melody or theme) by modification or embellishments without changing its identity.

verb (used without object)

, var·ied, var·y·ing.

1. to show diversity; be different:

   The age at which children are ready to read varies.

2. to undergo change in appearance, form, substance, character, etc.:

   The landscape begins to vary as one drives south.

3. to change periodically or in succession; differ or alternate:

   Demand for certain products varies with the season.

4. to diverge; depart; deviate (usually followed by from ):

   to vary from the norm.

5. Mathematics. to be subject to change.
6. Biology. to exhibit variation.

vary

/ ˈvɛərɪ /

verb

1. to undergo or cause to undergo change, alteration, or modification in appearance, character, form, attribute, etc
2. to be different or cause to be different; be subject to change
3. tr to give variety to
4. intrfoll byfrom to differ, as from a convention, standard, etc
5. intr to change in accordance with another variable

   pressure varies directly with temperature and inversely with volume

   her mood varies with the weather

6. tr music to modify (a theme) by the use of variation

Derived Forms

• ˈvarying, adjective
• ˈvaryingly, adverb

Other Words From

• var·i·er noun
• var·y·ing·ly adverb
• in·ter·var·y verb (used without object) intervaried intervarying
• o·ver·var·y verb overvaried overvarying
• self-var·y·ing adjective
• un·var·y·ing adjective
• un·var·y·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of vary¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English varien, from Latin variāre, equivalent to vari(us) ( various ) + -āre infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of vary¹

C14: from Latin variāre, from varius various

Example Sentences

Individually, the UK’s 86 local government pension schemes vary in size, from Greater Manchester’s massive £30bn fund all the way down to several schemes which are “sub-£1bn”, according to Joanne Donnelly, board secretary at the Local Government Pension Scheme Advisory Board.

From BBC

The incentives vary by location and project type, but here’s one example: Lots near both a Metro rail station and a rapid bus line could see developers build 120% more units than the underlying zoning allows, with the percentage of required low-income affordable units ranging from 11% to 27% of the new project.

From Los Angeles Times

That percentage can vary widely depending on the type of lymphoma and the stage it was diagnosed and treated in.

From Los Angeles Times

The needs vary depending where in the world the country is, but may include:

From BBC

The number of volunteers will vary, depending on who has spare time that day.

From BBC

Related Words

• alter
• differ
• diverge
• diversify
• divide
• fluctuate
• modify
• range