IELTS synonyms

Synonyms for “fluctuate” in IELTS

11 alternatives to “fluctuate”, each with its part of speech, how it differs in meaning or register, an example sentence and a warning where a blind swap changes what you say. Fluctuate is the word candidates reach for whenever a line goes up and down. It is accurate, but repeating it hides the detail: was the movement regular, extreme or slight? The alternatives below help you say which.

Example

vary (verb)

Change between different levels; neutral and common.

Monthly rainfall varied between 20 mm and 140 mm.

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  • 11 alternatives
  • Writing Task 1
  • Meaning, register and example
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Written by Fizza Butool Zaidi and Ali Zaidi

11 alternatives

Other words for “fluctuate”

  1. 1.vary

    verbWriting and Speaking

    Change between different levels; neutral and common.

    Monthly rainfall varied between 20 mm and 140 mm.

    Don't swap blindly: Vary also means 'differ between groups' ('Salaries vary by profession'), so make clear you mean change over time.

  2. 2.rise and fall

    verb phraseWriting and Speaking

    Plain and clear; good when the pattern is regular, such as a seasonal one.

    Ice cream sales rose and fell with the seasons.

  3. 3.go up and down

    phrasal verbSpeaking

    Everyday version of fluctuate.

    My electricity bill goes up and down depending on the season.

  4. 4.fluctuations

    nounWriting

    Noun form, useful in the pattern 'There were fluctuations in...'.

    There were considerable fluctuations in the price of coffee between 2010 and 2015.

  5. 5.be volatile

    adjectiveWriting

    Large, sudden, unpredictable changes, especially in prices and markets.

    Oil prices were highly volatile between 2014 and 2016.

    Don't swap blindly: Volatile means big and unpredictable; small changes are not volatile.

  6. 6.be erratic

    adjectiveWriting

    Irregular, with no clear pattern.

    Visitor numbers were erratic, with no clear seasonal pattern.

  7. 7.be unstable

    adjectiveWriting

    Not steady; changes often. Broader and less dramatic than volatile.

    The exchange rate remained unstable for most of the decade.

  8. 8.hover around

    phrasal verbWriting

    Stay close to one level with only small changes.

    Unemployment hovered around 5% for most of the period.

    Don't swap blindly: It means the figure barely moved, so it is not right for large swings.

  9. 9.oscillate

    verbWriting

    Move regularly back and forth between two levels. Technical.

    Daytime temperatures oscillated between 18°C and 24°C throughout the month.

    Don't swap blindly: It implies a regular pattern between two points; for irregular movement use fluctuate or vary.

  10. 10.peaks and troughs

    noun phraseWriting

    A pattern of high and low points, useful in the overview.

    The graph shows clear peaks and troughs, with sales highest each December and lowest each February.

  11. 11.ups and downs

    noun phraseSpeaking

    Informal noun for changes, also used about life in general.

    Like most small businesses, our shop has had its ups and downs.

Paraphrasing

How to paraphrase “fluctuate” well

  • Give the range: 'fluctuated between 40 and 60' tells the examiner far more than 'fluctuated a lot'.
  • Say whether there was a pattern. Regular movement suggests 'rose and fell each summer'; irregular movement suggests erratic or volatile.
  • Do not confuse fluctuate with level off, stabilise or plateau, which mean the figure stopped changing.

Band tip: the public IELTS Writing band descriptors for Lexical Resource describe Band 7 as using “less common lexical items” with “some awareness of style and collocation”. A synonym that changes your meaning or breaks a collocation works against you, so choose the word that fits the sentence, not the rarest one you know.

In context

Use it in an answer

Writing Task 1 (invented line graph: monthly visitors to a coastal museum over one year)Written by BandLadder

Visitor numbers rose and fell with the seasons, peaking at about 9,000 in August and dropping to around 2,000 in January. Between these extremes, the figure was erratic in spring, varying between 3,000 and 6,000 from month to month, whereas in autumn it fell steadily.

Frequently asked questions

What is another word for fluctuate in IELTS?+

Vary and rise and fall are the neutral alternatives. Volatile suits large, unpredictable changes; erratic suits irregular changes; hover around suits small changes near one level.

Should I write 'fluctuated' or 'fluctuated between'?+

Add the range whenever the chart shows it: 'fluctuated between 40% and 55%'. It makes the description precise and gives the examiner data.

Is oscillate a good word for IELTS?+

Only for a regular movement between two levels. It is technical, so use it once at most, and only when the pattern really is regular.

What is the noun of fluctuate?+

Fluctuation. Use it with 'there were': 'There were sharp fluctuations in prices during 2015'.

Practise

See real answers to paraphrase

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