Synonym Chooser

How is the word various different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of various are different, disparate, divergent, and diverse. While all these words mean "unlike in kind or character," various stresses the number of sorts or kinds.

tried various methods

When could different be used to replace various?

While the synonyms different and various are close in meaning, different may imply little more than separateness but it may also imply contrast or contrariness.

different foods

When is it sensible to use disparate instead of various?

The synonyms disparate and various are sometimes interchangeable, but disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility.

disparate notions of freedom

When would divergent be a good substitute for various?

Although the words divergent and various have much in common, divergent implies movement away from each other and unlikelihood of ultimate meeting or reconciliation.

went on to pursue divergent careers

When is diverse a more appropriate choice than various?

In some situations, the words diverse and various are roughly equivalent. However, diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast.

such diverse interests as dancing and football

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of various According to a press statement from the HBCU, graduates from the university’s 14 schools and colleges this year will be among the largest graduating classes in the institution’s history to receive bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in various disciplines. Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 10 Apr. 2025 Fan groups have joined together to make their feelings clear on these various issues, and open letters addressed to chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak have been sent, designed to put pressure on the club not to raise ticket prices. Sam Lee, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 Rising artist-writer of the year and artist of the year nominees and winners, both past and present, paid homage to various tunes that have previously won the song of the year category. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2025 That could compound ethics concerns, given Mastro still represented various clients in the stretch between March 20 and this week, including New Jersey in its bid to kill New York’s congestion pricing program. Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for various

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Cite this Entry

“Various.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/various. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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