various

The word “various” is an adjective. It means “many different.” 

  • There are various reasons for the man’s poor health (There are many different reasons for his bad health.) 
  • Various buyers have expressed an interest in that house. 
  • We have various concerns regarding the young woman who lives next door. 

The words “vary” (a verb) and “variety” (a noun) are related to “various.” 

a bunch of umbrellas hanging from the ceiling

These umbrellas come in various colors. (many different colors)

a. Use "various" as an adjective.

This word usually comes before a plural count noun.  

  • We tried various restaurants before finding our favorite one.
  • She has lived in various countries around the world.
  • There are various reasons why the plan didn’t work.
  • The store sells various types of tea and coffee.
  • People reacted in various ways to the news.
  • I’m interested in various forms of art, from painting to sculpture.
  • Various students contributed to the project.

You can’t use “various” with noncount nouns: 

  •  They have various lettuce at that store. (a variety of lettuce)
  •  The office needs various furniture. (a variety of furniture) 

a. Use "various" as an adjective.

man sitting on gang chair with feet on luggage looking at airplane
  • People travel for various reasons. 
red cook pot
  • There are various ways to cook food. 
 

b. vary / variety

Consider how the verb “vary” and the noun “variety” compare to the adjective “various.” 

  • There are various opinions on this topic.
  • There are a variety of opinions on this topic. 
  • Opinions on this topic vary. 
  • Scientists have found various factors that affect climate change. 
  • Scientists attribute climate change to a variety of factors. 
  • Factors affecting climate change vary. 
  •  Various groups of people showed up for the rally. 
  • The rally attracted a variety of people. 
  • The kinds of people who showed up to the rally varied. 

b. vary / variety

bunch of vegetables
  • This store sells a wide variety of vegetables. 
  • You can find a variety of vegetables on the shelves. 
red tomatoes on green leaves
  • These cherry tomatoes don’t vary very much in size and color. They’re very consistent.
  • There’s not much variety among these tomatoes. 
Note the difference in spelling between “vary” and “very.” 

First published on October 9, 2025 

 

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