fluctuate by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fluctuate by" is a valid phrase in English.
You can use it when referring to something that changes or varies in size or value over a period of time. For example: "Wholesale prices usually fluctuate by a few percentage points each month."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

In a finite population, allele frequencies fluctuate by chance randomly and the fluctuation leads to deviations from HWE (in this context, this is "sampling error") [ 56].

Behavioral and Brain Functions

Rates fluctuate by state, for no apparent reason.

The New York Times

Its chances seem to fluctuate by the hour.

The Economist

Mr. Giardino said that interior temperatures generally fluctuate by several degrees during those cycles.

The New York Times - Tech

One-day returns on these options can fluctuate by about 20 percentage points.

Columbia University

Their performance is volatile: sales fluctuate by an average of 12% a year.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

Aside from seasonal fluctuations, until the 19th century, CO2 levels hadn't fluctuated by more than 1% over millions of years.

Los Angeles Times

Scrap prices in 1980 fluctuated by about $60 a ton.

The New York Times

If market [INAUDIBLE] opinion fluctuated by 1%, the Beijing equilibrium price will drop by 30%.

Cornell University

The question is whether the prices fluctuated by more or less than available data justified.

The New York Times

The plunge pool showed the most variation, with bed levels fluctuating by over 1 m.

Geomorphology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing changes, use "fluctuate by" to emphasize irregular and unpredictable variations, such as market prices or daily temperatures.

Common error

Avoid using "fluctuate by" when describing consistent, predictable changes. For regular patterns, use "vary by" or "oscillate by" instead to better reflect the nature of the change.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fluctuate by" primarily functions as a verb phrase followed by a preposition. According to Ludwig, this indicates action related to a change or variation. It's used to describe something experiencing irregular variations in magnitude or quantity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Science

41%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "fluctuate by" is a very common and grammatically correct phrase used to describe irregular variations or changes, as confirmed by Ludwig. It frequently appears in News & Media and Scientific contexts, suggesting a broad applicability. Ludwig AI showcases that the phrase serves to express the extent of such irregular change, differentiating it from other phrases like "vary by" or "oscillate by", which imply different types of variations. When incorporating this phrase in your writing, prioritize its usage for erratic deviations rather than consistent fluctuations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

vary by

Indicates a difference or change, similar to fluctuate but can imply a more stable range of values.

alter by

General term for transformation or modification.

change by

A general term for alteration; less specific than "fluctuate by" which implies irregular variation.

oscillate by

Describes a regular back-and-forth movement or variation, implying a more predictable pattern.

deviate by

Indicates a departure from a standard or norm; suggests a discrepancy rather than a natural fluctuation.

differ by

Highlights a discrepancy or dissimilarity between two or more things.

range from

Specifies the extent of variation between minimum and maximum values, not necessarily indicating fluctuation.

shift by

Indicates a movement or alteration from one state or position to another.

drift by

Indicates a gradual deviation or movement due to external forces.

swing by

Informal expression meaning to briefly visit or pass by something, semantically distant from the original query.

FAQs

How can I use "fluctuate by" in a sentence?

You can use "fluctuate by" to describe something that varies irregularly. For example, "The stock prices "fluctuate by" several dollars each day".

What's a good alternative to "fluctuate by"?

Depending on the context, you could use "vary by", "change by", or "oscillate by" as alternatives to "fluctuate by".

Is it correct to say "fluctuate around" instead of "fluctuate by"?

While both phrases relate to variation, "fluctuate around" indicates movement about a central point, whereas "fluctuate by" specifies the amount of change or the range of variation.

What does "fluctuate by" imply about the changes being described?

"Fluctuate by" suggests that the changes are irregular, unpredictable, and often influenced by external factors. It indicates that the variations aren't consistent or fixed.