vary

Academic Word List, sublist 1.

About 28.78 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. verb To change with time or a similar parameter.

   He varies his magic tricks so as to minimize the possibility that any given audience member will see the same trick twice.

2. verb To institute a change in, from a current state; to modify.

   You should vary your diet. Eating just bread will do you harm in the end.

3. verb Not to remain constant: to change with time or a similar parameter.

   His mood varies by the hour.

4. verb To display differences.

   The sprouting tendency of potatoes varies between cultivars, years and places of growing.

5. verb To be or act different from the usual.

   I'm not comfortable with 3.Nc3 in the Caro-Kann, so I decided to vary and play exd5.

6. verb To make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversify; to variegate.
7. verb To embellish; to change fancifully; to present under new aspects, as of form, key, measure, etc. See variation.
8. verb To disagree; to be at variance or in dissension.

Similar words

variegate alter motley change diverge deviate depart variable diversify variety

Often followed by

from in with according the greatly considerably widely between

Word family

variability variable variables variably variance variant variants variation variations varied