What does varying mean?
Varying means changing, especially in degree, amount, quality, or characteristic. It is both the present participle of the verb “vary” and a participial adjective meaning “not fixed or uniform.” The word is useful because it describes change without insisting on its exact nature: a price may vary, the terrain may vary, or the strength of an effect may vary. In phrases such as “varying degrees” and “widely varying results,” it indicates that something differs across situations or over time. Although it is closely related to “varied” and “variable,” varying usually places emphasis on change that is occurring or may occur. In formal writing, it is especially common when discussing differences in evidence, conditions, needs, or levels. Its Latin ancestry also links it to words such as “various,” “variable,” and “variety,” all of which share an idea of difference or change.
Present participle of vary: changing or making something different, especially in degree, amount, or characteristic.
"The organizers are varying the schedule to accommodate different needs."
This use describes an action in progress or an ongoing process, although it can also occur before a stated result: “She varied the route.”
Changing or differing in degree, amount, quality, or characteristic; not fixed or uniform.
"The research produced varying levels of support for the proposal."
The adjective is especially frequent with “degrees,” “levels,” “sizes,” “amounts,” and “conditions.”
The phrase “to a varying degree” captures the idea: sameness may hold in principle, but its strength changes from one case to another.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does varying come from?
The word comes through English “vary,” which was borrowed from Latin variare, “to change, make different.” Latin variare was related to varius, meaning “different” or “of different kinds,” the source of related English words such as “various” and “variety.” The form “varying” was developed as the present participle of “vary” by adding the English “-ing” ending.
Related word forms
How varying is actually used
Varying is common in formal and informal English. It often appears in phrases such as “varying degrees” and “varying conditions,” where it indicates differences across cases or over time. As a participial adjective, it can describe a changing quantity, quality, or set of circumstances.
Easily confused with varying
Varying emphasizes ongoing change or differences in degree, while varied usually means different from one another or composed of different elements.
Variable describes something capable of changing, whereas varying commonly describes something that is changing, especially in amount or degree.