2 syllables: Va, ries. Stress on Va.
VER-eez
/ˈvɛɹiz/
Varies is pronounced VER-eez (/ˈvɛɹiz/). It has two syllables (Va-ries), with the stress on "Va". Varies is a verb meaning to differ or change within a range or between cases. It denotes fluctuation or lack of uniformity depending on context or condition. Used when characteristics, amounts, or outcomes are not constant, often influenced by variables or circumstances.
verbVaries is a verb meaning to differ or change within a range or between cases. It denotes fluctuation or lack of uniformity depending on context or condition. Used when characteristics, amounts, or outcomes are not constant, often influenced by variables or circumstances.
How to Pronounce Varies
"Prices varies with demand and seasonality, so you should plan ahead."
"The results varies across trials, suggesting external factors at play."
"This rule varies depending on the formality of the document."
Pronounced /ˈver·iz/ (US) or /ˈveər·ɪz/ (UK). The first syllable carries primary stress. Start with a voiced labiodental /v/ followed by a front vowel; the second syllable uses a lax vowel in most accents. The final consonant is /z/. Think: VER-eez. In rapid speech, the /r/ becomes less prominent in some UK dialects, but the /z/ remains clear. If you’re Australian, you’ll hear closer to /ˈveːrɪz/ with a slightly longer /eː/ vowel and a clear /z/ finale.
Two common errors: 1) Reducing the first vowel to a schwa /ə/ as in ‘vuh-reez’ instead of /ˈver-/; 2) Merging the two syllables too quickly so it sounds like ‘vairz’ or ‘varz’ without the distinct /i/ vowel in the second syllable. Fix by holding a crisp /ɪ/ or /i/ in the second syllable and ensuring the /v/ initial persists. Also avoid turning the first syllable into /ˈve/ without the /r/ or making the /r/ silent in rhotic accents.
In US English, /ˈveriz/ with a pronounced /ɹ/ and a short /i/ before /z/. UK English often renders it /ˈveərɪz/ or /ˈveəriːz/ with a less pronounced rhotic /r/ and a longer vowel in the first syllable. Australian tends to be /ˈveərɪz/ or /ˈveəːɹɪz/ with a slightly broader vowel in the first syllable and a crisp final /z/. Rhythm tends to be a touch more syllable-timed in British and Australian accents. All three keep the final /z/, but vowel qualities and rhoticity differ.
The difficulty lies in the subtle vowel quality of the first syllable and the presence of a voiced final consonant /z/. For some, the /ɹ/ in /ver/ is tricky if not followed by a vowel; in non-rhotic accents, the /r/ is less pronounced, which can change the perceived vowel length. The short, tense /ɪ/ or /i/ in the second syllable requires a precise mouth height. Speed can mask the contrasts, so practice slow, then accelerate while maintaining clarity, and ensure the first syllable carries stress.
A useful tip is to practice with a three-beat scaffold: start with /v/ closure and short /e/ vowel, then transition to /r/ immediately before the /i/ to form /ˈveri/; finally add the /z/ with sustaining voice. Use a mirror to confirm tongue-tip curling for the /ɹ/ (US) or a light tapped /ɹ/ (UK). Emphasize the short, tight /i/ and avoid turning into /eɪ/ or /ai/. This helps keep the meaningful vowel timing and rhotic quality distinct.
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Varies comes from Latin variāre, meaning to change, alter, or diversify. Varius in Latin translates to diverse or various, with the root vari- indicating ‘to change’ or ‘to differ’. The noun variation shares the root. Early English adoption is traced to Middle English variien, borrowings tied to Latin via French variation and varia. The sense has long carried the core idea of difference among items or states; in science and philosophy, it denotes deviation or divergence from a standard. Over the centuries, the term broadened to describe any fluctuating condition, from prices to opinions, as trade, statistics, and literature engaged more with comparative differences. First known uses appear in scholastic and legal texts where variable factors determined outcomes. In modern usage, varies is common in everyday speech and formal writing, especially in contexts of data, biology, linguistics, and economics, where variability must be acknowledged and described. The etymology mirrors the conceptual evolution from a concrete path of change in Latin to a flexible, generic verb in English that captures fluctuation across numerous domains.
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Words that rhyme with "Varies"
-ies sounds
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