fluctuate
/fluctuate/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Intransitive verb:
- To change or vary irregularly; to rise and fall in an unpredictable way: "fluctuate" describes something that does not remain stable but changes frequently, often between different levels, amounts, or states.
- To move back and forth in a wave-like pattern: "fluctuate" can also describe a physical wavering or swinging motion.
Transitive verb:
- To cause something to vary or move in an unstable, wave-like manner: This is a less common usage meaning to make something fluctuate.
Usage and Examples
Intransitive verb:
- Prices tend to fluctuate based on supply and demand.
- Her mood can fluctuate throughout the day.
- The temperature fluctuated wildly during the spring months.
Transitive verb:
- The investor's decisions fluctuated the value of the small stock. (This usage is rare.)
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- Economic and Scientific Context: "Fluctuate" is frequently used to describe the irregular changes in metrics like prices, temperatures, currency values, or signal strength.
- Exchange rates fluctuate constantly on the global market.
- Describing Emotions or Conditions: It can describe unstable personal states or conditions.
- His energy levels fluctuate due to his illness.
Variants and Related Words
- Fluctuation (noun): An instance or the process of fluctuating.
- There was a slight fluctuation in the patient's blood pressure.
- Fluctuant (adjective): Subject to change or variation. (This is a technical/medical term, e.g., describing a type of swelling.)
Synonyms
- Vary: To be different or to change.
- Oscillate: To swing or move back and forth in a regular rhythm (often more regular than "fluctuate").
- Vacillate: To waver between different opinions or actions (often used for indecision).
- Waver: To become unsteady or to show indecision.
Antonyms
- Stabilize: To become or make something steady and unchanging.
- Remain constant: To stay the same without change.
- Steady: Firmly fixed, supported, or balanced; not changing.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- Subject to fluctuation: Likely to change irregularly.
- Commodity prices are subject to fluctuation.
- Wild fluctuations: Very large and unpredictable changes.
- The stock market experienced wild fluctuations after the news.
Verb
- be unstable
- The stock market fluctuates
- move or sway in a rising and falling or wavelike pattern
- the line on the monitor vacillated
- cause to fluctuate or move in a wavelike pattern