noun
Meaning 1
alteration; change.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
vary
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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Received-Pronunciation: /ˈvɛəɹi/
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British, Southern, Standard: /ˈvɛːɹɪj/
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US: /ˈvɛəɹi/ without the Mary–marry–merry merger
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US: /ˈvæɹi/ without the Mary–marry–merry merger
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New-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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New-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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/ˈvɛɹi/ General American, Canada, Mary–marry–merry merger
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California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Australian: /ˈveːɹi/
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New-Zealand: /ˈveəɹi/ without the cheer–chair merger
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/ˈviəɹi/ New Zealand, cheer–chair merger
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Scotland: /ˈveɾe/
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Scotland: /ˈveɾɪ/
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Scotland: /ˈveɾi/
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/ˈvɜːɹɪ/ Lancashire, fair–fur merger
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rhymes with -ɛəɹi
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rhymes with -æɹi
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homophone: very (only in accents with the Mary–marry–merry merger)
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homophone: veery (cheer–chair merger)
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CMU ARPABET: V EH1 R IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
verb
Meaning 2
To change with time or a similar parameter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- He varies his magic tricks so as to minimize the possibility that any given audience member will see the same trick twice.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To institute a change in, from a current state; to modify.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- You should vary your diet. Eating just bread will do you harm in the end.
- a. 1687, Edmund Waller, to Phyllis Gods, that never change their state, / Vary oft their love and hate.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
Not to remain constant: to change with time or a similar parameter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- His mood varies by the hour.
- The sine function varies between −1 and 1.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To display differences.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- The sprouting tendency of potatoes varies between cultivars, years and places of growing.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 6
To be or act different from the usual.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- I'm not comfortable with 3.Nc3 in the Caro-Kann, so I decided to vary and play exd5.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversify; to variegate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
To embellish; to change fancifully; to present under new aspects, as of form, key, measure, etc. See variation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
To disagree; to be at variance or in dissension.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- her mood changes in accordance with the weather
- The supermarket's selection of vegetables varies according to the season
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: change, alter
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: alternate, jump, crackle, modulate, avianize, avianise, move, adapt, accommodate, let out, widen, take in, diversify, branch out, broaden, radiate, specialize, specialise, narrow, narrow down, honeycomb, break
verb
Meaning 11
make something more diverse and varied
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- Vary the menu
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: variegate, motley
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: diversify
Narrower terms: checker, chequer
verb
Meaning 12
be at variance with; be out of line with
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: deviate, diverge, depart
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: differ
Narrower terms: aberrate, contradict, belie, negate
verb
Meaning 13
be subject to change in accordance with a variable
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- Prices vary
- His moods vary depending on the weather
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: differ
Narrower terms: co-vary, drift
History
Etymology
From Middle English varien, from Old French varier, from Latin variō (“to change, alter, make different”), from varius (“different, various”); see various.
Across languages
Translations
54 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Amharic: ለዋወጠ (läwawäṭä) — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Arabic: نوع (nawwaʕ) — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Bulgarian: изменям (izmenjam) — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Bulgarian: променям (promenjam) — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Dutch: variëren — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Finnish: vaihdella — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- French: varier — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Georgian: გამოცვლა (gamocvla) — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Georgian: შეცვლა (šecvla) — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- German: variieren — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Hungarian: változtat — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Hungarian: váltogat — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Hungarian: variál — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Italian: variare — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Latin: variō — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Māori: whakarerekē — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Piedmontese: varì — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Polish: zmieniać — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Polish: zmienić — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Portuguese: variar — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Spanish: variar — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Swedish: variera — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Welsh: ymrafael — to change something with time or a similar parameter
- Arabic: غير (ḡayyar) — not to remain constant
- Bulgarian: варирам (variram) — not to remain constant
- Catalan: variar — not to remain constant
- Dutch: variëren — not to remain constant
- Finnish: vaihdella — not to remain constant
- French: varier — not to remain constant
- Georgian: ვარირება (varireba) — not to remain constant
- Georgian: ცვლილება (cvlileba) — not to remain constant
- German: verändern — not to remain constant
- Latin: variō — not to remain constant
- Polish: zmieniać się — not to remain constant
- Polish: zmienić się — not to remain constant
- Portuguese: variar — not to remain constant
- Scottish Gaelic: caochail — not to remain constant
- Spanish: variar — not to remain constant
- Swedish: variera — not to remain constant
- Bulgarian: различавам се (različavam se) — to display difference
- Dutch: variëren — to display difference
- Finnish: vaihdella — to display difference
- Polish: różnić się — to display difference
- Portuguese: variar — to display difference
- Scottish Gaelic: caochail — to display difference
- Spanish: variar — to display difference
- Swedish: variera — to display difference
- Bulgarian: изменям (izmenjam) — to act different from usual
- Bulgarian: изменя (izmenja) — to act different from usual
- Finnish: vaihdella — to act different from usual
- Māori: tītaha — to act different from usual
- Portuguese: variar — to act different from usual
- Scottish Gaelic: caochail — to act different from usual
- Spanish: variar — to act different from usual