vary
to change or alter, as in form, appearance, character, or substance: to vary one's methods.
to cause to be different from something else: The orchestra varied last night's program with one new selection.
to avoid or relieve from uniformity or monotony; diversify: to vary one's diet.
Music. to alter (a melody or theme) by modification or embellishments without changing its identity.
to show diversity; be different: The age at which children are ready to read varies.
to undergo change in appearance, form, substance, character, etc.: The landscape begins to vary as one drives south.
to change periodically or in succession; differ or alternate: Demand for certain products varies with the season.
to diverge; depart; deviate (usually followed by from): to vary from the norm.
Mathematics. to be subject to change.
Biology. to exhibit variation.
Origin of vary
1Other words for vary
Other words from vary
- var·i·er, noun
- var·y·ing·ly, adverb
- in·ter·var·y, verb (used without object), in·ter·var·ied, in·ter·var·y·ing.
- o·ver·var·y, verb, o·ver·var·ied, o·ver·var·y·ing.
- self-var·y·ing, adjective
- un·var·y·ing, adjective
- un·var·y·ing·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for vary
/ (ˈvɛərɪ) /
to undergo or cause to undergo change, alteration, or modification in appearance, character, form, attribute, etc
to be different or cause to be different; be subject to change
(tr) to give variety to
(intr foll by from) to differ, as from a convention, standard, etc
(intr) to change in accordance with another variable: her mood varies with the weather; pressure varies directly with temperature and inversely with volume
(tr) music to modify (a theme) by the use of variation
Origin of vary
1Derived forms of vary
- varying, adjective
- varyingly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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