volatile

6 definitions • 12 examples

likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly, especially by getting worse:

Food and fuel prices are very volatile in a war situation.

The situation was made more volatile by the fact that people had been drinking a lot of alcohol.

likely to change emotional state very suddenly, especially by becoming angry:

He had a volatile temper and couldn't have been easy to live with.

She is volatile and unreliable.

A volatile liquid or solid substance will change easily into a gas:

The substance is highly volatile.

volatile compounds

likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly, or suddenly violent or angry:

It was a volatile situation, and the police handled it well.

The stock market was highly volatile in the early part of the year.

If a substance, esp. a liquid, is volatile, it will change easily into a gas:

volatile chemicals

likely to change often or suddenly and unexpectedly:

American technology shares remain volatile.

a volatile fund/investment/market

Property has always been less volatile than shares or gilts.