# VAR

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/var
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. football officiating

noun · CEFR B2

Stands for Video Assistant Referee. A system used in football to help the referee make better decisions by looking at video replays.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Video Assistant Referee. A technical officiating system in association football that reviews decisions made by the head referee using video footage and a headset for communication.

- The goal was cancelled after the referee checked VAR and saw the player was offside.
- The introduction of VAR has sparked significant debate among fans regarding the flow of the game and the subjective nature of 'clear and obvious' errors.

Usage: Usually used without an article when referring to the system itself, but can take 'the' when referring to the official.

### 2. programming variable

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

A short way to write 'variable' in computer code, used to store information that can change.

For teachers: A common abbreviation for 'variable' in various programming languages, often used as a keyword to declare a storage location for data.

- You need to define the var at the top of your script so the program knows what it is.
- Modern JavaScript standards often prefer 'let' or 'const' over 'var' to ensure better control over variable scoping within a function.

Usage: In code, it is written in lowercase; in speech, it is often pronounced like the word 'bar'.

### 3. financial risk

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Stands for Value at Risk. A way for banks and companies to measure how much money they might lose in a certain amount of time.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Value at Risk. A statistical technique used to measure and quantify the level of financial risk within a firm or investment portfolio over a specific time frame.

- The bank's daily VAR showed that they could lose up to ten million dollars in a worst-case scenario.
- Risk managers often criticize a heavy reliance on VAR because it can fail to predict 'black swan' events that fall outside normal statistical distributions.

Usage: Often written as 'VaR' to distinguish it from other acronyms.

### 4. business reseller

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Stands for Value-Added Reseller. A company that buys a product, adds new features or services to it, and then sells it to customers.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Value-Added Reseller. A firm that enhances the value of third-party products by adding customized services or software before reselling them to end-users.

- We bought our office software from a local VAR who also handles all our technical support.
- The hardware manufacturer relies on a global network of VARs to provide localized installation and maintenance services to their corporate clients.

### 5. steroid slang

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang

A slang name for a specific type of steroid used by some athletes to build muscle.

For teachers: A common clipping of Anavar, a brand name for the synthetic anabolic steroid oxandrolone.

- He was caught using var to improve his performance before the competition.
- In bodybuilding subcultures, var is often discussed as a milder alternative to other performance-enhancing drugs, despite its significant legal and health risks.

## Examples

- The bank calculates its daily VaR to manage risk.
- After the market crash, the firm adjusted its VaR models to account for higher volatility in emerging markets.
- While VaR provides a useful snapshot of potential losses under normal market conditions, it is often criticised for failing to predict 'black swan' events that fall outside standard distribution curves.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.