Word of the Day: Vary
The word “vary” is used when there are differences among things or people. When they have different qualities and features, they vary.
| simple | past | past participle |
|---|---|---|
|
vary
|
varied
|
varied
|
- The climate in California varies. It depends on where you are in the state.
- Results from our experiments varied. (We got several different results.)
- Opinions on the topic of gun control vary.
- There are varied opinions on this topic. (The word “varied” in this sentence is an adjective.)
- His account of what happened last night varies from her version of events.
- The personalities of the children in that family vary.
Related to the word “vary” are a few other words. The first one is “variety.” The word “variety” is a noun. Use it when talking about many different things:
- There’s a variety of fruit and vegetables at our local grocery store.
- There isn’t much variety on this radio station. All the music sounds the same.
- There are several different varieties of paint to choose from at the hardware store.
The word “various” is an adjective. This is a popular word to use when describing differences:
- Picasso mastered various styles in creating his artwork.
- Mary gave various reasons for why she was late, so no one believed her.
- In our backyard we have various trees and plants.
(Note: The word “very” is an adverb. This is a completely different word.)
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with V page to see the list of all words starting with letter V. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
