volatile meaning

volatile means 'likely to change suddenly or become dangerous'.

volatile :

likely to change suddenly

adjective

▪ The stock market is volatile.

▪ The stock market changes suddenly.

▪ He has a volatile temper.

▪ He gets angry suddenly.

paraphrasing

▪ unstable – not steady

▪ unpredictable – not able to be predicted

▪ changeable – likely to change

▪ explosive – likely to explode

volatile

Pronunciation

volatile [ˈvɒl.ə.taɪl]

The stress is on 'vol' and sounds like 'vol-uh-tile'.

Common phrases and grammar about volatile

volatile - Common meaning

adjective
likely to change suddenly

Part of Speech Changes for "volatile"

▪ volatility (noun) – the quality of being likely to change suddenly

▪ volatize (verb) – to make volatile or evaporate

Common Expressions with "volatile"

▪ volatile market – a market that changes suddenly

▪ volatile situation – a situation that can change suddenly

▪ volatile personality – a personality that changes suddenly

▪ volatile substance – a substance that can easily change into gas

Important examples of volatile in TOEIC

Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test

In TOEIC vocabulary questions, volatile often refers to markets or situations that change quickly.

▪The economy is volatile right now.
▪The economy changes quickly right now.

Example of a confusing word: viable (feasible)

▪The economy is viable right now.
▪The economy is feasible right now.
"Volatile" describes something that is unstable and likely to change rapidly, often used in the context of markets or economic conditions. In "The economy is volatile right now," it correctly conveys that the economy is unpredictable. "Viable," however, means "feasible" or "capable of working successfully," and does not fit the context of describing rapid changes. Saying "The economy is viable" suggests that the economy is workable, not that it changes quickly. Therefore, "volatile" is the correct choice here.

Grammar examples from the TOEIC test

As an adjective, volatile describes nouns and is often tested in questions about market conditions.

▪The volatile market worries investors.
▪The changing market worries investors.

volatile

Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC

volatile market

'changing market', used in business contexts.

▪The volatile market affects our profits.
▪The changing market affects our profits.

walk on eggshells

means 'to be very careful', often used when dealing with volatile people.

▪We have to walk on eggshells around him.
▪We have to be very careful around him.

Differences between similar words and volatile

volatile

,

unstable

differences

Volatile means likely to change suddenly, while unstable means not steady or secure.

volatile
▪The political situation is volatile.
▪The political situation changes suddenly.
unstable
▪The bridge is unstable.
▪The bridge is not steady.

volatile

,

unpredictable

differences

Volatile means likely to change suddenly, while unpredictable means not able to be predicted.

volatile
▪The weather is volatile this season.
▪His behavior cannot be predicted.
unpredictable
▪His behavior is unpredictable.
▪His behavior cannot be predicted.

Words with the same origin as volatile

The origin of volatile

The word's etymology is not clear.

Word structure

The analysis of the word's composition is unclear.

Words with the same origin

The word's root is unclear or difficult to confirm.

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