What does "volatile" mean?
A chemical or compound that changes into a gas easily.
Volatile
/ˈvɑ.lə.təl/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A chemical or compound that changes into a gas easily.
- Grammar: volatile is listed as adj, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: explosive, acetone evaporation, adrift, afloat.
- Useful contrasts: temperate, consistent repetitive pattern, corporate stability.
- Usage evidence: The war on Iraq is a volatile subject of political debate; any wrong word and a heated argument could spark.
How to use "volatile"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "volatile" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "volatile" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "volatile" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "volatile" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "volatile" is acting as adj, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "explosive" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "volatile", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A chemical or compound that changes into a gas easily.
- 2 a volatile substance; a substance that changes readily from solid or liquid to a vapor wordnet
- 3 A variable that is volatile, i.e. has its associated memory immediately updated with any change in value.
"Operations on C++ volatiles do put the compiler on notice that the object may be modified asynchronously, and hence are generally safer to use than ordinary variable accesses."
Adjective
- 1 Evaporating or vaporizing readily under normal conditions.
- 2 Of a substance, explosive. informal
- 3 Of a price, variable or erratic.
"Its pricing is highly volatile — and therefore highly risky. For all its nosebleed ascents, bitcoin also has had some gut-punching plunges. Between November 2021 and November 2022, for example, the price of bitcoin dropped 75%, from $64,455 to $16,196, according to data on coinmarketcap.com."
- 4 Of a person, quick to become angry or violent.
"a volatile man"
- 5 Fickle.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 Temporary or ephemeral.
- 7 Of a situation potentially violent.
- 8 Of a variable etc., having its associated memory immediately updated with any changes in value.
"This method stores a value into a non-volatile field called result, then stores true in the volatile field finished. The main thread waits for the field finished to be set to true, then reads the field result."
- 9 Of memory, whose content is lost when the computer is powered down.
- 10 Passing through the air on wings, or by the buoyant force of the atmosphere; flying; having the power to fly. obsolete
Adjective
- 1 tending to vary often or widely wordnet
- 2 marked by erratic changeableness in affections or attachments wordnet
- 3 liable to lead to sudden change or violence wordnet
- 4 evaporating readily at normal temperatures and pressures wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"The war on Iraq is a volatile subject of political debate; any wrong word and a heated argument could spark."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "volatile"?
Common synonyms include: explosive, acetone evaporation, adrift, afloat, agitable, airy.
How do you use "volatile" in a sentence?
The war on Iraq is a volatile subject of political debate; any wrong word and a heated argument could spark.
How do you pronounce "volatile"?
Pronounced /ˈvɑ.lə.təl/.
Etymology
From Middle French volatile, from Latin volātilis (“flying; swift; temporary; volatile”), from volō (“I fly”).