fluctuation
noun
fluc·tu·a·tion
ˌflək-chə-ˈwā-shən 
-chü-ˈā-
plural fluctuations
: an act or instance of fluctuating : an irregular shifting back and forth or up and down in the level, strength, or value of something
Small fluctuations in prices are to be expected.
Some fluctuation in real estate values is not unusual.
North American species in general, having contended with blazing July days and frosty September nights as they evolved, are much more tolerant of temperature fluctuations than tropical species are.—
Jonathan Franzen
Jonathan FranzenExamples of fluctuation in a Sentence
political instability that resulted in wild fluctuations in the overseas stock markets
Recent Examples on the Web
Some of the symptoms include fatigue, brain fog, joint and muscle pains, weight fluctuations, depression, anxiety and hair loss.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 11 July 2025
Rising food and labor costs, staffing shortages, and commercial rent fluctuations continue to affect long-term sustainability in the hospitality industry.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 10 July 2025
Atomic clocks can detect fluctuations of just a few milliseconds in the length of a day.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 10 July 2025
Costco announced late Wednesday that its U.S. core comparable sales, excluding gas prices and currency fluctuations, rose 5.5% for the four weeks ending Jul. 6, slightly below Wall Street’s estimate of 6% estimate but above buy-side expectations of 5%, according to JPMorgan’s analysis.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fluctuation
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Michelle Lee, People.com, 11 July 2025
Rising food and labor costs, staffing shortages, and commercial rent fluctuations continue to affect long-term sustainability in the hospitality industry.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 10 July 2025
Atomic clocks can detect fluctuations of just a few milliseconds in the length of a day.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 10 July 2025
Costco announced late Wednesday that its U.S. core comparable sales, excluding gas prices and currency fluctuations, rose 5.5% for the four weeks ending Jul. 6, slightly below Wall Street’s estimate of 6% estimate but above buy-side expectations of 5%, according to JPMorgan’s analysis.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fluctuation
Cite this Entry
“Fluctuation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluctuation. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
fluctuation
noun
fluc·tu·a·tion
ˌflək-chə-ˈwā-shən
1
: a motion like that of waves
especially
: the wavelike motion of a fluid collected in a natural or artificial cavity of the body observed by palpation or percussion
2
a
: a slight and nonheritable variation
especially
: such a variation occurring in response to environmental factors
b
: recurrent and often more or less cyclic alteration (as of form, size, or color of a bodily part)
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