verb · neutral
fluctuate
/ˈflʌk.tʃu.eɪt/FLUC·tu·ate
To change level, strength, or value frequently and irregularly; to rise and fall.
Examples
“Unemployment rates fluctuated over the decade, with no clear upward or downward trend.”
“The price of oil fluctuates with global demand and political events.”
“Temperatures fluctuate a lot in spring.”
Band 8 sentence
“Over the past five years, exchange rates have fluctuated considerably, complicating long‑term planning for exporters.”
Collocations
- fluctuate between
- fluctuate wildly
Word family
Common mistakes
Prices fluctuate from 10 to 15 percent.→Prices fluctuate between 10 and 15 percent.
The data is fluctuating a lot.→The data are fluctuating a lot.
Say it for a higher band
5change→6vary→7+fluctuate
Synonyms
vary
oscillate
Easily confused
vary
“Room sizes vary between 20 and 30 square metres.”
Related words
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In Sublist 10
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