various

1 of 2

adjective

var·​i·​ous ˈver-ē-əs How to pronounce various (audio)
Synonyms of various
1
: of an indefinite number greater than one
stop at various towns
2
: individual, separate
rate increases granted in the various states
3
a
: of differing kinds : multifarious
b
: dissimilar in nature or form : unlike
4
: varicolored
birds of various plumage
5
: having a number of different aspects or characteristics
a various place
6
archaic : variable, inconstant
variousness noun

various

2 of 2

pronoun

plural in construction
: an indefinite number of separate individuals greater than one
have read various of her essays

Synonyms of various

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for various

different, diverse, divergent, disparate, various mean unlike in kind or character.

different may imply little more than separateness but it may also imply contrast or contrariness.

different foods

diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast.

such diverse interests as dancing and football

divergent implies movement away from each other and unlikelihood of ultimate meeting or reconciliation.

went on to pursue divergent careers

disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility.

disparate notions of freedom

various stresses the number of sorts or kinds.

tried various methods

Examples of various in a Sentence

Adjective He has lived in places as various as New York and Beijing. for their various and bizarrely shaped plumage, males of the bird of paradise species have few rivals
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Their Students' List of candidates includes various experts in their fields with little or no experience in politics or state jobs. — Jovana Gec, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026 An agent can work in the background, remember preferences, monitor information and handle tasks across various websites and apps. — Marty Swant, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026 Research partners recorded the various sounds that drones make when their propellers get chipped or cracked or their motor becomes damaged or begins to fail. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026 There’s a lot of bright anti-establishment humor in Darko, and Kelly demonstrates a nimble inventiveness in fusing various narrative forms. — Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for various

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin varius "having contrasting colors, of different kinds, changeable" (of uncertain origin) + Middle English -ous, -os -ous

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Pronoun

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of various was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing various

Rhymes for various

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Browse Nearby Words

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various
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Cite this Entry

“Various.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/various. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

various

adjective
var·​i·​ous
ˈver-ē-əs, 
ˈvar-
1
: of different kinds
2
: different one from another : unlike
animals as various as cat and mouse
3
: having many different characteristics
spring is a various season
4
: made up of an indefinite number greater than one
stopped at various places along the way
variously adverb
variousness noun
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