vary

/ˈvɛəɹi/

//ˈvɛəɹi// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"vary" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“vary” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #4,724. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#4,724
frequency rank, English
969
“V” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To change with time or a similar parameter.

Corpus desk

Index EN-vary · vary · English

vary · rank #4,724 · 6 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #4,724
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-MID 969
  • PHOTO-FINISH trigger

Nearest frequency peer: trigger (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “vary”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “vary” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

vary vs VR
0% similar
vary vs vat
50% similar
vary vs vas
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for vary
PropertyValue
Headwordvary
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈvɛəɹi/
Letters4
Frequency rank#4,724
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “vary”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).varylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “trigger” (#4,723), “venue” (#4,725), “tribute” (#4,722). Among 969 “V” headwords, “vary” is #4,724. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around vary (IPA /ˈvɛəɹi/), averb. Corpus frequency is #4,724 among 969 “V” headwords. Wiktionary lists 8 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for vary, with forms such as "avry", "varry", and "varyy". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "VR", "vat", "vas", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English varien, from Old French varier, from Latin variō (“to change, alter, make different”), from varius (“different, various”); see various. The correct English form is vary, spelled V-A-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    To change with time or a similar parameter.
  2. 2
    To institute a change in, from a current state; to modify.
  3. 3
    Not to remain constant: to change with time or a similar parameter.
  4. 4
    To display differences.
  5. 5
    To be or act different from the usual.
  6. 6
    To make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversify; to variegate.
  7. 7
    To embellish; to change fancifully; to present under new aspects, as of form, key, measure, etc. See variation.
  8. 8
    To disagree; to be at variance or in dissension.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how vary appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. He varies his magic tricks so as to minimize the possibility that any given audience member will see the same trick twice.
  2. We are to vary the customs according to the time and country where the scene of action lies.

Etymology

From Middle English varien, from Old French varier, from Latin variō (“to change, alter, make different”), from varius (“different, various”); see various.

Synonyms

alterchangefluctuatedissenttake exception

This word in other languages

variar(Español)varier(Français)variieren(Deutsch)variar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • avry
  • varry
  • varyy
  • vayr
  • vray
  • vvary

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of vary - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

avry2varry1varyy1vayr2vray2vvary1
Edit distance from "vary"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "vary"?
"vary" is spelled V-A-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvɛəɹi/.
What does "vary" mean?
As a verb, "vary" means: To change with time or a similar parameter.
What words are commonly confused with "vary"?
"vary" is commonly confused with "VR", "vat", "vas". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "vary"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "vary" is /ˈvɛəɹi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "vary"?
From Middle English varien, from Old French varier, from Latin variō (“to change, alter, make different”), from varius (“different, various”); see various. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "vary", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

toys#4,720rude#4,709carl#4,743poem#4,698

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (6 here; floor ≥5).

venue6 variantswells6 variantsdirt6 variantsouter6 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list