1
as in interpretation
a distinct treatment of something (as a story or a play)
the movie begins with a somewhat irreverent variation on the Nativity story
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in alteration
the act, process, or result of making different
the latest in a long line of variations in her hair color
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of variation
But one patient has a strange variation on the condition, where real-world faces appear demonic but those on screens look fine.
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New Atlas, 2 Jan. 2025
Validation is especially challenging when significant evidence exists to the contrary—and a host of recent observations suggest indeed that the universe could be stranger and have larger variations than cosmologists had so comfortably supposed.
—Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2025
Citizen scientists working with the raw image data, which is available to the public online, increased the contrast of the images captured in visible light to emphasize the planet's striking color variation.
—Space.com Staff, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2025
Social media users have repeatedly and falsely linked comedian Sam Hyde to high-profile shootings by spreading variations of his name in the aftermath of such attacks, as is the case here.
—Andre Byik, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for variation 
New Atlas, 2 Jan. 2025
Validation is especially challenging when significant evidence exists to the contrary—and a host of recent observations suggest indeed that the universe could be stranger and have larger variations than cosmologists had so comfortably supposed.
—Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2025
Citizen scientists working with the raw image data, which is available to the public online, increased the contrast of the images captured in visible light to emphasize the planet's striking color variation.
—Space.com Staff, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2025
Social media users have repeatedly and falsely linked comedian Sam Hyde to high-profile shootings by spreading variations of his name in the aftermath of such attacks, as is the case here.
—Andre Byik, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for variation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for variation
Noun
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These States seek to convince the Court to adopt an interpretation that completely reverses what these treaties actually say and are intended to mean.Jon McGowan, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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However, Favela himself has openly dealt with bipolar disorder, which adds layers to the video’s interpretation and suggests personal reflection.Ingrid Fajardo, Billboard, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Williamson downplayed how much extra attention he’s put into his hamstrings over the past few months, but the slight alterations in his routine were already showing Tuesday night.William Guillory, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
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In the next five years, the 102-year-old stadium is going to undergo some significant alterations intended to improve fan experience while retaining the venue’s National Historic Landmark status.Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Troy Aikman dropped a juicy take when adding his commentary about the Dallas Cowboys and Mike McCarthy parting separate ways on Monday.John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
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At the same time, Musk has received criticism for tweeting controversial political takes about the wildfires and the government’s response.Michael Kan, PCMAG, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Sorensen said any water utility that serves an area with large differences in elevation will have similar limitations.Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
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Here, then, are most*** of the 2024 House races sorted by the difference between their margins and the presidential margins in their districts.Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Online and in person, David Pearce presented himself to women as a talent manager, music mogul and other versions of a high-level Hollywood player — someone who could help make their L.A. dreams a reality, prosecutors said.James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
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The program, implemented in 2016, will be replaced with Meta's own version of Community Notes, a crowdsourced approach to reviewing online content employed by X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.Anne Marie Lee, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Once these changes take effect, the average state minimum wage is set to grow from $10.69 in 2024 to $11.18.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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The big change is in the share of cases being dismissed — which has risen sharply, from 41% to 62%.Zellnor Myrie, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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By late 2015, the otherwise down-at-the-heels Quebec shipyard was awarded a contract for modification of the MV Asterix, an auxiliary replenishment vessel.Craig Hooper, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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Focus on healthy lifestyle modifications rather than sudden drops in body weight.3 Prognosis and Life Expectancy The prognosis for people with biliary colic is generally good with appropriate treatment.Lindsay Curtis, Health, 10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near variation
Cite this Entry
“Variation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/variation. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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