Reinforced　concrete　(RC)　shear　walls　are　the　major　lateral　load-carrying　structural　components　in　high-rise　buildings.　Under　strong　earthquake　motions,　the　axial　loads　of　RC　walls　are　not　constant　axial　compression,　but　may　be　in　tension,　resulting　in　the　axial　load　of　RC　walls　varying　from　compression　to　tension.　In　this　study,　three　RC　slender　wall　specimens　(shear-to-span　ratio　λ　=　2.0)　were　tested　to　study　the　effect　of　the　fluctuating　range　and　loading　patterns　of　variable　axial　forces　on　their　cyclic　behavior,　including　failure　modes,　hysteretic　response,　strength　and　deformation　capacity.　Test　results　indicated　that　the　final　failure　of　RC　slender　walls　subjected　to　variable　axial　forces　was　controlled　by　flexural　failure　in　the　compressive-flexural　direction.　The　hysteretic　curves　of　RC　slender　walls　were　asymmetric　and　substantively　different　from　the　hysteretic　curves　of　RC　slender　walls　with　constant　axial　loads.　The　fluctuating　range　of　axial　forces　had　a　limited　influence　on　the　shape　of　hysteretic　curves,　while　the　loading　patterns　significantly　changed　the　shape　of　these　hysteretic　curves.　Under　the　variable　axial　forces,　the　lateral　strength　and　deformation　capacity　of　RC　slender　walls　depended　on　the　fluctuating　range　of　axial　forces,　while　loading　patterns　had　limited　influence　when　the　fluctuating　range　of　axial　forces　kept　constant.　The　loading　patterns　had　a　limited　influence　on　the　lateral　stiffness　of　RC　slender　walls,　while　the　increase　of　fluctuating　range　of　axial　forces　increased　the　difference　between　compressive-flexural　and　tensile-flexural　lateral　stiffness.　No　matter　in　tensile-flexural　or　compressive-flexural　directions,　the　assumption　that　the　wall　section　remains　plane　after　deformation　is　suitable　for　RC　slender　walls　under　the　variable　axial　forces,　and　enables　reasonable　estimations　of　yielding　and　peak　strength.　Finally,　a　finite　element　model　was　developed　for　predicting　the　cyclic　behavior　of　RC　walls　under　the　variable　axial　loads.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd