volatility

noun

vol·​a·​til·​i·​ty ˌvä-lə-ˈti-lə-tē How to pronounce volatility (audio)
plural volatilities
: the quality or state of being volatile: such as
a
: a tendency to change quickly and unpredictably
price volatility
the volatility of the stock market
b
: a tendency to erupt in violence or anger
the volatility of the region
the volatility of his temper
c
: the quality of being readily vaporizable at a fairly low temperature
As each component of crude oil has a different relative volatility, they will evaporate at different temperatures.Martin W. Stockel et al.

Examples of volatility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Global Demand and Geopolitical Uncertainty Rising demand in Europe and Asia is another key driver of natural gas price volatility. Robert Rapier, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025 The uncertainty around Trump’s trade policy stirred up market volatility recently as all three major averages suffered a negative month. Yun Li, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2025 The four-week average, which evens out some of the week-to-week volatility, climbed by 8,500 to 224,000. CBS News, 27 Feb. 2025 Gold can also be a good option for retirees or near-retirees, as a way to protect savings and wealth in times of market volatility. Gabriel O Rodríguez, Sacramento Bee, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for volatility

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of volatility was in 1626

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Cite this Entry

“Volatility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/volatility. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

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