vary

Verb

Verb Forms: varied, varying, varies

• To become or make different; to alter or change.
• become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
• be at variance with; be out of line with
• be subject to change in accordance with a variable
  • "Prices vary"
  • "His moods vary depending on the weather"
• make something more diverse and varied
  • "Vary the menu"
• To change with time or a similar parameter.
• To institute a change in, from a current state; to modify.
• Not to remain constant: to change with time or a similar parameter.
• To display differences.
• To be or act different from the usual.
• To make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversify; to variegate.
• To embellish; to change fancifully; to present under new aspects, as of form, key, measure, etc. See variation.
• To disagree; to be at variance or in dissension.

Noun

• alteration; change.

Examples

• He varies his magic tricks so as to minimize the possibility that any given audience member will see the same trick twice.
• His mood varies by the hour.
• I'm not comfortable with 3.Nc3 in the Caro-Kann, so I decided to vary and play exd5.
• The sine function varies between −1 and 1.
• The sprouting tendency of potatoes varies between cultivars, years and places of growing.
• You must VARY your strategy in Words With Friends if your opponent keeps blocking.
• You should vary your diet. Eating just bread will do you harm in the end.

Synonyms

alter, change, depart, deviate, diverge, motley, variegate, dissent, fluctuate, take exception

Antonyms

conform

Related Words

variability, variable, variance, variant, variation, varied, variety, various