variation

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountable

   A difference or change in amount, level or form between things or over time.

   Grammar: Countable for each case, uncountable for the general idea: variation in prices.

   Patterns

   • variation in something
   • variation between things
   • variation of something

   There is wide variation in prices between shops.

   The study found little variation among the results.

   Daily temperature variation was small this spring.

2. 2nouncountable

   A slightly different version of something, based on the same original idea.

   Grammar: Countable, usually followed by on or of: a variation on a theme.

   Patterns

   • a variation on something
   • a variation of something

   The chef served a variation on the classic recipe.

   This game is a variation of chess played on a larger board.

   Each child drew a variation of the same cartoon.

3. 3nouncountablemusic

   A piece of music that repeats and changes a main theme in a new way.

   Grammar: Countable and often in a set: a theme with variations.

   Patterns

   • variations on a theme

   The pianist played a set of variations on a folk song.

   The third variation is slow and sad.

   The composer wrote twelve variations for the violin.

Word forms

Common combinations

wide variation

There is wide variation in how schools teach the topic.

seasonal variation

Seasonal variation affects sales every year.

slight variation

A slight variation in color is normal.

regional variation

Regional variation shapes the way people speak.

variation on a theme

The new film is just a variation on a theme.

Synonyms and how they differ

difference

Difference is the plain word for how things are unlike, while variation suggests change from a common standard or among related things.

fluctuation

Fluctuation implies up-and-down changes over time, often unpredictable.

version

Version is a particular form of something, with no sense of change from a standard.

deviation

Deviation implies moving away from a norm, sometimes wrongly, which variation does not.

Opposites

Word family

vary verb

to change or differ

variable adjective

likely to change

varied adjective

including many different kinds

variety noun

a range of different things

variant noun

a slightly different form of something

Commonly confused: variation or variety?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “variation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words