Synonym Chooser

How does the noun variance contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of variance are conflict, contention, discord, dissension, and strife. While all these words mean "a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony," variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

In what contexts can conflict take the place of variance?

The meanings of conflict and variance largely overlap; however, conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

Where would contention be a reasonable alternative to variance?

While the synonyms contention and variance are close in meaning, contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

When is discord a more appropriate choice than variance?

The words discord and variance can be used in similar contexts, but discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

When would dissension be a good substitute for variance?

In some situations, the words dissension and variance are roughly equivalent. However, dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

When is it sensible to use strife instead of variance?

While in some cases nearly identical to variance, strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

Examples of variance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The suit was based on zoning issues and variances NEBCO had sought. Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 12 Aug. 2024 From production to thematic variance, a lot is happening on Movie in the best way. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2024 While most of these details are well-understood for T. rex, the team needed to extrapolate body-size variance. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 July 2024 But while the average school day is just over six and a half hours long, there's a wide variance between the shortest and longest school days, contingent on individual state and district regulations. Lisa Linnell-Olsen, Parents, 30 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for variance 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'variance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near variance

Cite this Entry

“Variance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/variance. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on variance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!