volatility
/ˌvɒləˈtɪləti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌvɑːləˈtɪləti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌvä-lə-ˈti-lə-tē/ (ame, mw)
volatility — noun
1. The tendency of financial markets, prices, or economic conditions to change sudd
The tendency of financial markets, prices, or economic conditions to change suddenly and unpredictably, often in a way that creates risk or instability.
The volatility of oil prices made it hard for airlines to plan their budgets.
collocation: volatility of [commodity]
Investors worried about the volatility in the stock market after the election results came in.
Hao moved his savings to a safer account to avoid the volatility of cryptocurrency.
The recent volatility in housing costs has forced many families to delay buying a home.
- instability
Broader term; can apply to any unstable state, not just markets
- unpredictability
Focuses on the inability to forecast, with less emphasis on risk
- fluctuation
Describes regular up-and-down movement rather than sudden dramatic change
- stability
The state of being steady and unlikely to change
- steadiness
Implies consistent, reliable behaviour over time
文法句型
volatility + of + noun phrase
adjective + volatility
用法筆記
Commonly modified by 'market', 'price', 'economic', or 'political'. Often appears in phrases like 'increase in volatility', 'period of volatility', 'high/low volatility'. The adjective 'volatile' is more frequent in everyday speech than the noun form.
常見錯誤
2. The tendency of a person to become angry, upset, or excited very quickly and wit
The tendency of a person to become angry, upset, or excited very quickly and without warning, making their moods hard to predict.
Nila could not predict her brother's moods because of his emotional volatility.
collocation: emotional volatility
The coach warned that Selim's temper volatility could hurt their chances of winning the match.
collocation: temper volatility
After years of therapy, Lucía learned to manage the volatility of her own temper.
Pim's emotional volatility during team meetings made his colleagues feel uncomfortable.
- moodiness
Less intense; describes frequent mood changes without necessarily involving anger
- irritability
Focuses on getting annoyed easily, but may not involve sudden outbursts
- explosiveness
Similar intensity, emphasizes the sudden and forceful nature of the reaction
文法句型
possessive + volatility
emotional / temper volatility
用法筆記
Subject is typically a person or a person's mood, temper, or behaviour. 'Emotional volatility' and 'temper volatility' are the most common collocations. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 refers specifically to sudden anger or mood changes in people, not general market or price instability.
常見錯誤
3. The quality of a substance that makes it turn into vapour quickly when exposed t
The quality of a substance that makes it turn into vapour quickly when exposed to only a small amount of heat.
The high volatility of gasoline means it can catch fire easily if not stored correctly.
collocation: high volatility
Wren compared the volatility of ethanol and water in her chemistry lab report.
Because of its volatility, the chemical must stay inside a sealed container at all times.
Piotr measured the volatility of each liquid by slowly heating them in the laboratory.
- evaporability
More general; refers to the ability to turn into vapour under normal conditions
- vaporizability
Technical term; emphasises the capacity to be turned into vapour
- non-volatility
The property of not evaporating easily
文法句型
volatility + of + substance
high / low volatility
用法筆記
Subject is a chemical substance. Common in scientific and technical writing, especially in laboratory reports, safety data sheets, and chemistry textbooks. The adjective 'volatile' is used more often in everyday language for substances like perfume or fuel.