as in unpredictable
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
a boss of volatile moods is frustrating to work for
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of volatile
On a notion, President Trump announces at a press conference his plan to take over Gaza, which is one of the most volatile places on the planes.
—
Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2025
Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core consumer prices rose 3.3% in January compared with a year ago, up from 3.2% in December.
—Christopher Rugaber The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 13 Feb. 2025
The seafood industry is notoriously volatile, and Peter Pan’s failure came during a difficult period.
—ProPublica, 13 Feb. 2025
The pilot follows an offbeat Fresno diner where an ex-party girl, a volatile chef, and an oddball busboy contend with ghost pirates, volcanoes, and the minor inconvenience of dying.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for volatile 
Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2025
Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core consumer prices rose 3.3% in January compared with a year ago, up from 3.2% in December.
—Christopher Rugaber The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 13 Feb. 2025
The seafood industry is notoriously volatile, and Peter Pan’s failure came during a difficult period.
—ProPublica, 13 Feb. 2025
The pilot follows an offbeat Fresno diner where an ex-party girl, a volatile chef, and an oddball busboy contend with ghost pirates, volcanoes, and the minor inconvenience of dying.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for volatile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for volatile
Adjective
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With its surprising best picture win at the Critics Choice Awards — its only prize of the night — the $6 million dramedy, which claimed the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, has solidified itself as a major contender in an unpredictable awards season.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2025
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But here’s what the L.A. fires have taught us: No plan survives its first encounter with an unpredictable reality.—
Josh Klein,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Is High in Antioxidants Orange juice is rich in healthy nutrients called antioxidants, compounds that help prevent cell damage from unstable molecules called free radical damage in a process known as oxidative stress.—
Aviv Joshua, MS,
Verywell Health,
11 Feb. 2025
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She had been placed in a four-cell unit with mentally unstable inmates.—
Lawrence Wright,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The company also noted a decrease in cost of sales, attributed to lower variable input costs and favorable currency translation impacts.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
13 Feb. 2025
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Adobe incorporates features like enhanced digital publishing and file export capabilities, SVG (scalable vector graphic) imports, and variable fonts, as well as accommodates ever-evolving technical, professional, and social design trends.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Especially if his team is still so maddeningly inconsistent.—
Arthur Staple,
The Athletic,
8 Feb. 2025
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Although Mitchell's overall output has been inconsistent in recent seasons, his defensive versatility has remained a major strength.—
Nathan Kamal,
Newsweek,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Hers is the kind of face that inspires directors to tight framing — gleaming, as if smoothed from marble, and yet somehow pliant, changeful.—
Jordan Kisner Jack Davison,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2022
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Rigorous, blustery winter; winding sleety spring; hot, moist enervating summer; changeful autumn with its dog-days; these are absolutely unknown.—
San Diego Union-Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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In an unsettled time, the most effective commercial messages are all about reassurance, togetherness and entertainment.—
Eric Deggans,
NPR,
9 Feb. 2025
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What's Next While temperatures are trending upward, the forecast indicates unsettled weather through the end of the month.—
Jonathan Granoff,
Newsweek,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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However, dissolving the DoE would require congressional approval, which remains uncertain.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
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Reporting meant hours of conversation in the car; room for asking the same questions over and over; the gradual diminishment of one’s embarrassment about being ignorant or uncertain; a dilatory attitude of quiet listening and watching; the possibility of misunderstandings resolved.—
Joshua Rothman,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near volatile
Cite this Entry
“Volatile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/volatile. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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