various

various — adjective

1. used for saying that several things or people in a group are not of the same kin

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

used for saying that several things or people in a group are not of the same kind, but instead cover a range of different types.

Example

The library offers various workshops on topics such as cooking, coding, and gardening.

various + plural noun (workshops)

Hari has tried various methods to improve his sleep, from meditation to changing his diet.

Common collocations
  • various kinds of
  • various types of
  • various reasons
  • various methods
  • various ways
  • various parts
  • various sources
Synonyms
  • different

    focuses on unlikeness between items; 'various' adds the idea that the group contains several types

  • diverse

    suggests a wider, more striking range of differences than 'various'; more formal

  • a range of

    emphasises the spread across types rather than the fact of difference itself; more informal

Antonyms
  • identical

    all the same; the opposite of covering different types

  • uniform

    having the same form or quality throughout

Grammar Patterns

various + plural noun

Usage Note

Only placed before a noun — it cannot follow a linking verb. For example, you can say 'various opinions exist' but not 'the opinions are various' (use 'different' instead: the opinions are different).

Common Mistakes

She bought various dresses, and they were all blue.
She bought various dresses in different colours, such as red, blue, and green.
'various' means 'of different kinds,' not simply 'several.' If all the dresses are blue, they are not various.
The ideas presented were various.
Various ideas were presented.
'various' is not used after a linking verb; place it directly before the noun.
I have various money in my wallet.
I have various coins in my wallet.
'various' modifies countable plural nouns, not uncountable nouns like 'money.'

various — pronoun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Various,' 'different,' 'several,' and 'diverse' all relate to multiplicity, but each emphasises something distinct. 'Different' simply points out that two or more items are not alike, without suggesting the size of the group: 'The twins wore different dresses.' 'Several' counts items (more than two but not many) but says nothing about whether they resemble each other: 'She bought several books.' 'Various' combines both ideas — it means several items of different kinds: 'She bought various books on art, history, and science.' 'Diverse' goes further, implying a notably wide or striking range of differences, often used for groups where variety is a positive quality: 'A diverse student body includes people from many countries and backgrounds.' In short: use 'various' when you want to say both 'several' and 'of different types' in a single word.

various ↗different ↗several ↗diverse ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • various kinds of
  • various types of
  • various sorts of

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Various' comes from Latin 'varius,' meaning 'changing, different, diverse.' It entered Middle English through Old French 'varie' or directly from Latin, and has been used since the 1400s to describe things of different kinds or appearances.