Meaning & use
fluctuating
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“fluctuating” is a form of “fluctuate”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
changing often in level or amount and not staying steady
Grammar: Used before a noun: fluctuating prices. It can also follow a linking verb: prices are fluctuating.
Patterns
- fluctuating prices/demand/levels
- fluctuating between A and B
Farmers must cope with fluctuating prices for their crops.
The hospital recorded fluctuating blood pressure in the patient overnight.
Fluctuating demand makes it hard to plan how many staff to hire.
verbintransitive
changing frequently in level or amount, especially going up and down
Grammar: The -ing form used in progressive tenses; no object follows: Sales are fluctuating.
Patterns
- something is fluctuating
- was fluctuating between A and B
The exchange rate has been fluctuating all week.
Her energy levels were fluctuating between high and very low.
Common combinations
- fluctuating prices
- Fluctuating prices make budgeting difficult for small businesses.
- fluctuating demand
- The factory adjusts production to meet fluctuating demand.
- fluctuating temperatures
- Fluctuating temperatures can damage young plants.
- fluctuating between
- The patient's temperature was fluctuating between 37 and 39 degrees.
Synonyms and how they differ
- varying
- Neutral and general; it can describe any difference, while 'fluctuating' specifically suggests repeated up-and-down movement.
- unstable
- Stronger and more negative, suggesting a risk of falling or failing, not just changing.
- variable
- Often used in technical writing; it describes something that can differ, but does not emphasize constant movement.
- shifting
- Suggests moving gradually from one state to another rather than rising and falling repeatedly.
Opposites
Word family
- fluctuate verb
- To rise and fall or change often.
- fluctuation noun
- A change up or down in level or amount.
- fluctuated verb
- Past tense and past participle of 'fluctuate'.
Commonly confused: fluctuating or fluent?
fluctuating vs fluent
These sound similar but are unrelated. 'Fluent' describes smooth, easy speech in a language; 'fluctuating' describes changing amounts.
Practice
Because of ______ oil prices, airlines change their ticket prices almost every day.
Choose one answer.
A noun is needed after 'of', and the blank describes the prices, so the adjective 'fluctuating' fits: fluctuating oil prices. 'Fluctuate' is a verb and cannot modify a noun; 'fluctuation' would need 'fluctuations in oil prices'; 'fluctuated' is a past-tense verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fluctuating”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.