fluctuate
verb
fluc·tu·ate ˈflək-chə-ˌwāt 
-chü-ˌāt
fluctuated; fluctuating
intransitive verb
1
: to shift back and forth uncertainly
Oil prices fluctuated.
Temperatures fluctuated.
2
: to rise and fall in or as if in waves
The boat fluctuated on the rough sea.
transitive verb
: to cause to fluctuate
Synonyms
- change
- mutate
- shift
- snap
- vary
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
His popularity has fluctuated during his term in office. In the desert, the temperature fluctuates dramatically.
Recent Examples on the Web Projects will then fluctuate up and down in the public rankings. 
Steven Zeitchik, Washington Post, 14 July 2022 The deputy added the incident is an example on how the weather can drastically fluctuate from cold to warm in the Denver area, meaning ice may not be thick. Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2022 The ranunculus typically reach peak bloom in April though the exact dates fluctuate from year to year. Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2022 Cycle length can vary greatly from woman to woman, and even fluctuate from month to month. Christine Yu, Outside Online, 6 Sep. 2020 The tax on your gains can fluctuate with your tax bracket. Bob Carlson, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022 This number can fluctuate depending on number of days per week worked, number of patients seen, types of cases completed (medical versus cosmetic versus surgical), practice location, and more. Megan Decker, refinery29.com, 18 Aug. 2022 Others, like blood cortisol levels, may fluctuate between different set points based on stress levels or sleep cycles. Monique Brouillette, Popular Mechanics, 12 Aug. 2022 Since indoor radon levels are tied to airflow, levels can fluctuate day to day and by season. Maya Miller, ProPublica, 8 Aug. 2022 See More
Steven Zeitchik, Washington Post, 14 July 2022 The deputy added the incident is an example on how the weather can drastically fluctuate from cold to warm in the Denver area, meaning ice may not be thick. Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2022 The ranunculus typically reach peak bloom in April though the exact dates fluctuate from year to year. Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2022 Cycle length can vary greatly from woman to woman, and even fluctuate from month to month. Christine Yu, Outside Online, 6 Sep. 2020 The tax on your gains can fluctuate with your tax bracket. Bob Carlson, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022 This number can fluctuate depending on number of days per week worked, number of patients seen, types of cases completed (medical versus cosmetic versus surgical), practice location, and more. Megan Decker, refinery29.com, 18 Aug. 2022 Others, like blood cortisol levels, may fluctuate between different set points based on stress levels or sleep cycles. Monique Brouillette, Popular Mechanics, 12 Aug. 2022 Since indoor radon levels are tied to airflow, levels can fluctuate day to day and by season. Maya Miller, ProPublica, 8 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin fluctuatus, past participle of fluctuare, from fluctus flow, wave, from fluere — more at fluid
First Known Use
1604, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2
Kids Definition
fluctuate
verb
fluc·tu·ate ˈflək-chə-ˌwāt
fluctuated; fluctuating
: to change continually and especially up and down
The temperature fluctuated.
fluctuates
verb
as in varies
to pass from one form, state, or level to another temperatures will fluctuate between the low and high 50s today Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- varies
- changes
- shifts
- mutates
- improves
- deteriorates
- morphs
- metamorphoses
- snaps
- worsens
- transmutes
- vacillates
- turns around
- wavers
- betters
- teeters
- seesaws
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stabilizes
- plateaus
- the grass is always greener on the other side
- the grass is always greener on the other side (of the fence)
- the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
- the great majority of
- the great outdoors
- the great unwashed
- the Great White Way
- the greater part of
- the greatest thing since sliced bread
- the green light
- the greenhouse effect
- the Grim Reaper
- the ground
- the Guards
- the gutter
- the half
- the half of it
- the halls of power
- the hammer
- the handwriting is on the wall
- the hard stuff
- the hard way
- the have-nots
- the haves
- the haves and the have-nots