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
Adjective
The movie follows 10-year-old Hana, whose dreams transport her across various eras in Japanese history, and have the ability to save humanity. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Alongside this, recitations, songs, sacred prayers, and various other rituals and practices are observed. Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 9 Mar. 2024 Meta has pushed back on the claims in Torrez’s lawsuit and cited its various existing efforts to protect young users. Clare Duffy, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 Regular Use: Testers had their children use these table sets daily in real-life settings, reporting back on the practicality of their various features. Samantha McIntyre, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024 When gathering various pieces of a person’s identity, fraudsters may also turn to marketplaces on the dark web, where much personal identifying information — often stolen through security breaches — is for sale. Tara Siegel Bernard, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 The astrologer has spent five decades studying the movement of the planets and the effects of their various rotations and repositionings. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024 Would Caribbean actors actually be cast in various roles? Melissa Noel, Essence, 9 Mar. 2024 On Friday, the Saturday Night Fever star shared a video montage on Instagram, highlighting various activities from his 70th birthday vacation. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024

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

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 18 Mar. 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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