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vary

Syllabification: (var·y)
Pronunciation: /ˈve(ə)rē/

Translate vary | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of vary

verb (varies, varying, varied)

[no object]
  • differ in size, amount, degree, or nature from something else of the same general class:the properties vary in price (as adjective varying)varying degrees of success
  • change from one condition, form, or state to another:your skin’s moisture content varies according to climatic conditions
  • [with object] introduce modifications or changes into (something) so as to make it different or less uniform:he tried to vary his diet

Derivatives

varyingly

adverb

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French varier or Latin variare, from varius 'diverse'

Spelling rule

If a word ends in a consonant plus -y (as in defy), change the -y to an -i before adding any ending (unless the ending already begins with an -i): (varies, varying, varied).

vary in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of vary in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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