fluctuate
gb/flˈʌkt͡ʃuˌeɪt/ us/flˈʌkt͡ʃuˌeɪt/
B2
English
ingadozik, váltakozik, fluktuál
VERB
B2
1
ingadozik
B2
Usage pattern:
[quantity] fluctuates (between [a] and [b]) (around [level])
Gas prices fluctuate from week to week.
A benzinárak hétről hétre ingadoznak.
Temperatures can fluctuate a lot in early spring.
Kora tavasszal a hőmérséklet sokat ingadozhat.
The value of the currency fluctuated sharply after the announcement.
Learner examples
Prices fluctuate during the year.
Az árak az év során ingadoznak.
My weight fluctuates a little.
A súlyom egy kicsit ingadozik.
Common mistake:
Often used intransitively: say “Prices fluctuate,” not usually “fluctuate prices.”
Meaning
vary up and down
Collocations
prices fluctuate
|exchange rates fluctuate
|temperatures fluctuate
|levels fluctuate
|demand fluctuates
|sales fluctuate
|profits fluctuate
|fluctuate wildly
|fluctuate slightly
|fluctuate significantly
Synonyms
vary (More general; can be regular or irregular.)
|
swing (Suggests larger or more dramatic changes.)
|
change (Broader; does not specifically imply up-and-down movement.)
Antonyms
stabilize (Become steady after changing.)
|
remain steady (Continue without noticeable change.)
Themes
business
|money
|weather
|numbers
|data
Definition
If something fluctuates, it goes up and down.
To change in level, amount, or value repeatedly and often unpredictably, moving up and down rather than staying steady.
VERB
C1
2
ingadozik
B2
váltakozik
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] fluctuates between [state A] and [state B]
Her mood fluctuated between excitement and anxiety.
A hangulata izgatottság és szorongás között ingadozott.
The patient’s symptoms can fluctuate, so daily check-ins are important.
A beteg tünetei ingadozhatnak, ezért fontos a napi ellenőrzés.
Public support fluctuates when the issue is in the news.
Learner examples
My mood fluctuates when I am tired.
A hangulatom ingadozik, amikor fáradt vagyok.
Common mistake:
Do not confuse with “hesitate” (pause before acting). “Fluctuate” emphasizes repeated changes over time.
Meaning
change back and forth
Collocations
mood fluctuates
|symptoms fluctuate
|confidence fluctuates
|energy levels fluctuate
|fluctuate between optimism and pessimism
|fluctuate between doubt and certainty
|fluctuate throughout the day
|fluctuate over time
Synonyms
waver (Often about confidence, voice, or commitment; can imply weakness or uncertainty.)
|
oscillate (More formal; often suggests repeated back-and-forth between two options.)
|
shift (Less explicit about repeated back-and-forth changes.)
Antonyms
be consistent (Stay the same in behavior or quality.)
|
settle (Become stable after a period of change.)
Themes
emotions
|health
|relationships
|psychology
Definition
If someone fluctuates, they keep changing from one state to another.
To shift repeatedly between different states, opinions, or feelings, often in a way that seems uncertain or inconsistent.
VERB
C1
TECHNICAL
3
Usage pattern:
[measurement/signal] fluctuates (around [mean])
The sensor readings fluctuated slightly due to electrical noise.
Az érzékelő mérései az elektromos zaj miatt kissé ingadoztak.
In a small sample, results may fluctuate around the true value.
Kis mintában az eredmények a valódi érték körül ingadozhatnak.
The laser intensity fluctuated as the temperature changed.
Meaning
show random small variation
Collocations
signal fluctuates
|measurements fluctuate
|values fluctuate around the mean
|noise fluctuates
|fluctuate randomly
|fluctuate over time
|fluctuate within a range
Synonyms
vary (Neutral and common in technical writing.)
|
oscillate (Often implies a more regular pattern than random fluctuation.)
Antonyms
remain constant (Show no change over time.)
Themes
science
|statistics
|technology
|data
Definition
In science, if a value fluctuates, it changes a little in an irregular way.
To show small, irregular changes around an average level, especially in scientific measurement, signals, or statistical data.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fluctuate
IPA
GB/flˈʌkt͡ʃuˌeɪt/
US/flˈʌkt͡ʃuˌeɪt/
Syllables & stress
fluc - tu - ate (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fluc)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: fluctuate
- 3rd Person Singular: fluctuates
- Present Participle: fluctuating
- Past: fluctuated
Word family
Forms
fluctuates
verb
fluctuating
verb
fluctuated
verb
Core family
fluctuation
noun B2
Expressions
fluctuate around [a level]
1/flˈʌkt͡ʃuˌeɪt ɚˈaʊnd ə lˈɛvəl/
fixed phrase
stay near a typical level
It changes a little but stays near the same number.
Examples
- Unemployment has fluctuated around 5% for months.
- The share price fluctuated around $30 most of the year.
- The results fluctuated around the expected value.
Learner examples
- The temperature fluctuates around 20 degrees.
fluctuate between [a] and [b]
1/flˈʌkt͡ʃuˌeɪt bɪtwˈin ə ˈænd bˈi/
fixed phrase
vary between two values
It goes up and down between two numbers or states.
Examples
- Attendance fluctuates between 80 and 120 people.
- Her pain levels fluctuated between mild and severe.
- The temperature fluctuated between 10°C and 18°C.
Learner examples
- My grades fluctuate between B and A.
fluctuating fortunes
1/flˈʌkt͡ʃuˌeɪtɪŋ fˈɔɹt͡ʃunz/
fixed phrase
changing success and failure
Sometimes things go well and sometimes badly.
Examples
- The documentary follows the band’s fluctuating fortunes over two decades.
- Investors worried about the company’s fluctuating fortunes.
- After a few years of fluctuating fortunes, the team finally won the league.