various

1 of 2

adjective

var·​i·​ous ˈver-ē-əs How to pronounce various (audio)
1
: of an indefinite number greater than one
stop at various towns
2
: individual, separate
rate increases granted in the various states
3
a
: of differing kinds : multifarious
b
: dissimilar in nature or form : unlike
4
: varicolored
birds of various plumage
5
: having a number of different aspects or characteristics
a various place
6
archaic : variable, inconstant
variousness noun

various

2 of 2

pronoun

plural in construction
: an indefinite number of separate individuals greater than one
have read various of her essays
Choose the Right Synonym for various

different, diverse, divergent, disparate, various mean unlike in kind or character.

different may imply little more than separateness but it may also imply contrast or contrariness.

different foods

diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast.

such diverse interests as dancing and football

divergent implies movement away from each other and unlikelihood of ultimate meeting or reconciliation.

went on to pursue divergent careers

disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility.

disparate notions of freedom

various stresses the number of sorts or kinds.

tried various methods

Examples of various in a Sentence

Adjective He has lived in places as various as New York and Beijing. for their various and bizarrely shaped plumage, males of the bird of paradise species have few rivals
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adjective
In 2023, the Danube Institute also agreed to host visiting researchers from The Heritage Foundation to study Hungarian policies in various fields. Flora Garamvolgyi, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2024 Tannen suspects the problem with Bud's various comforters was due to manufacturer error, not putting enough down in some squares, and poor quality control. Marni Jameson, arkansasonline.com, 2 Nov. 2024 The stakes are high in four Democrat-on-Democrat races around Los Angeles, where more than $20 million has been funneled in from various political action committees seeking to boost their preferred candidates, according to Nov. 1 campaign finance records. Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024 Federal lawmakers are considering other approaches to protecting privacy, including various proposals, such as the American Privacy Rights Act, to try to clarify and standardize rules about personal information. Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for various 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin varius "having contrasting colors, of different kinds, changeable" (of uncertain origin) + Middle English -ous, -os -ous

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Pronoun

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of various was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near various

Cite this Entry

“Various.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/various. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

various

adjective
var·​i·​ous
ˈver-ē-əs,
ˈvar-
1
: of different kinds
2
: different one from another : unlike
animals as various as cat and mouse
3
: having many different characteristics
spring is a various season
4
: made up of an indefinite number greater than one
stopped at various places along the way
variously adverb
variousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on various

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