VOLATILE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for VOLATILE?

Need another word that means the same as “volatile”? Find 39 synonyms and 30 related words for “volatile” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Volatile” are: explosive, fickle, evaporative, vaporous, tense, strained, fraught, uneasy, uncomfortable, charged, eruptive, inflammatory, turbulent, in turmoil, full of upheavals, unpredictable, changeable, variable, inconstant, inconsistent, uncertain, erratic, irregular, unstable, unsteady, unsettled, unreliable, undependable, changing, ever-changing, varying, shifting, fluctuating, fluid, mutable, protean, fitful, wavering, full of ups and downs

Volatile as an Adjective

Definitions of "Volatile" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “volatile” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• Liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse.
• (of a person) liable to display rapid changes of emotion.
• Tending to vary often or widely.
• (of a substance) easily evaporated at normal temperatures.
• Evaporating readily at normal temperatures and pressures.
• (of a computer's memory) retaining data only as long as there is a power supply connected.
• Liable to lead to sudden change or violence.
• Marked by erratic changeableness in affections or attachments.

Synonyms of "Volatile" as an adjective (39 Words)

changeable	Liable to unpredictable variation. A changeable climate.
changing	Marked by continuous change or effective action.
charged	Of a particle or body or system; having a net amount of positive or negative electric charge. A charged battery.
erratic	Likely to perform unpredictably. Erratic behavior.
eruptive	Relating to or formed by volcanic activity. An acute eruptive disease.
evaporative	Relating to or involving evaporation. Evaporative water loss.
ever-changing	Marked by continuous change or effective action.
explosive	Able or likely to shatter violently or burst apart. Explosive gas.
fickle	Changing frequently, especially as regards one’s loyalties or affections. Fickle weather.
fitful	Occurring in spells and often abruptly. A few hours fitful sleep.
fluctuating	Rising and falling irregularly in number or amount. A fluctuating level of demand.
fluid	Characteristic of a fluid capable of flowing and easily changing shape. The fluid motion of a cat.
fraught	Marked by distress. There was a fraught silence.
full of upheavals	Containing as much or as many as is possible or normal.
full of ups and downs	Complete in extent or degree and in every particular.
in turmoil	Directed or bound inward.
inconsistent	Displaying a lack of consistency. Parents can become inconsistent and lacking in control over their children.
inconstant	Frequently changing; variable or irregular. An inconstant lover.
inflammatory	Arousing to action or rebellion. An inflammatory response.
irregular	(of troops) not belonging to regular or established army units. An irregular heartbeat.
mutable	Liable to change. Youth is said to be fickle and mutable.
protean	Tending or able to change frequently or easily. Protean thinkers who scan the horizons of work and society.
shifting	(of soil) unstable. Diverse districts with shifting demographics.
strained	Of a mainly liquid substance having been strained to separate out any solid matter. A strained smile.
tense	Pronounced with relatively tense tongue muscles e g the vowel sound in beat. She tried to relax her tense muscles.
turbulent	Characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination. A turbulent and unruly childhood.
uncertain	Not consistent or dependable. Everything is uncertain about the army.
uncomfortable	Conducive to or feeling mental discomfort. An uncomfortable chair.
undependable	Not trustworthy and reliable. An undependable generalization.
uneasy	Relating to bodily unease that causes discomfort. She felt guilty now and a little uneasy.
unpredictable	Not able to be predicted; changeable. The unpredictable weather of the Scottish islands.
unreliable	Lacking a sense of responsibility. Unreliable information.
unsettled	(of an area) having no settlers or inhabitants. A spell of unsettled weather.
unstable	Likely to give way; not stable. An unstable government.
unsteady	Subject to change or variation. Her unsteady walk.
vaporous	Resembling or characteristic of vapor. The terminology is rather vaporous.
variable	(of a species) liable to deviate from the typical colour or form, or to occur in different colours or forms. Variable winds.
varying	Marked by diversity or difference. The varying angles of roof slope.
wavering	Moving in a quivering way; flickering. A wavering flame.

Usage Examples of "Volatile" as an adjective

• A flirt's volatile affections.
• A volatile situation with troops and rioters eager for a confrontation.
• The political situation was becoming more volatile.
• A passionate, volatile young man.
• Volatile oils.
• Volatile emotions.
• Volatile solvents.
• Volatile solvents such as petroleum ether, hexane, and benzene.
• Volatile stocks.

Associations of "Volatile" (30 Words)

anomalous	Deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected. An anomalous situation.
capricious	Changeable. Authoritarian rulers are frequently capricious.
cataclysmic	Used to emphasize the extent of something bad or unwelcome. A cataclysmic earthquake.
changeable	Capable of or tending to change in form or quality or nature. Changeable moods.
changing	Marked by continuous change or effective action.
cheating	A deception for profit to yourself.
defuse	Make (a situation) less tense or dangerous. Explosives specialists tried to defuse the grenade.
displacement	The act of uniform movement. A fixed displacement gear.
equivocally	In an ambiguous manner.
erratic	Likely to perform unpredictably- Osbert Lancaster. Her breathing was erratic.
fickle	Changing frequently, especially as regards one’s loyalties or affections. Fickle weather.
inconstant	(of a person or their behaviour) not faithful and dependable. Inconstant affections.
mercurial	Relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury. His mercurial temperament.
mutable	Liable to change. It is likely too that the chromosomes of all eubacteria are as mutable as that of E coli.
precarious	Fraught with danger. The precarious life of an undersea diver.
protean	Able to do many different things; versatile. Protean thinkers who scan the horizons of work and society.
quicksilver	A heavy silvery toxic univalent and bivalent metallic element; the only metal that is liquid at ordinary temperatures. A quicksilver character cool and willful at one moment utterly fragile the next.
random	Made, done, or happening without method or conscious decision. Unlike other fan mail from randoms this was special.
shaky	Unstable because of poor construction or heavy use. After a shaky start the Scottish team made superb efforts.
shifting	(of soil) unstable. He drifted into the shifting crowd.
shifty	Characterized by insincerity or deceit; evasive. He had a shifty look about him.
uncertain	Lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance. I was uncertain how to proceed.
unfaithful	Having the character of, or characteristic of, a traitor. Her husband was unfaithful.
unpredictable	Not able to be predicted; changeable. An unpredictable or indeterminable future.
unreliable	Liable to be erroneous or misleading. He s lazy and unreliable.
unsound	Physically unsound or diseased. Unsound banking practices.
unstable	Highly or violently reactive. The unstable cliff tops.
unsteady	Subject to change or variation. His deep voice was unsteady.
untrustworthy	Not worthy of trust or belief. An untrustworthy person.
variable	The region of light variable winds to the north of the north east trade winds or in the southern hemisphere between the south east trade winds and the westerlies. Variable filters in front of the mercury xenon lights.