oscillate

verb

os·cil·late ˈä-sə-ˌlāt How to pronounce oscillate (audio)

oscillated; oscillating

intransitive verb

: to swing backward and forward like a pendulum

The fan was oscillating.

: to move or travel back and forth between two points

he oscillates regularly between his comfortable home … and his downtown office-laboratory

Gladwin Hill

: to vary between opposing beliefs, feelings, or theories

The mood of the voters has oscillated between optimism and pessimism.

: to vary above and below a mean value

Bank rate oscillates between 2 and 6 percent.

oscillatory

ˈä-sə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce oscillate (audio)

adjective

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Stars can oscillate back and forth across the gap on millennial timescales, offering more chances for observers to witness the transition.

James Riordon, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2022 In addition to the body’s main clock, your digestive hormones and metabolic capacity also oscillate over the day and night cycle.

Alina Dizik, WSJ, 13 Aug. 2022 The yo-yo is the state’s droughts, which will continue to oscillate, and may even give way to extreme precipitation events such as atmospheric rivers or floods, as in the Oroville Dam crisis in 2017.

Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2022 Plus, the fan can oscillate up to 85 degrees, providing a cooling breeze to multiple areas of any space.

Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 7 Aug. 2022 Magazine, is a visual feast of exuberant outfits and objects, while its subject appears to oscillate between feeling trapped by her surroundings and curious about them.

CNN, 7 June 2022 Some models also have nozzles that oscillate to clean a wider area of the body while other models will have dual-nozzles, one for the back and one for the front.

Megan Boettcher, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2022 Durant’s decision shakes up the power rankings of the Eastern Conference, which saw the Nets oscillate between bona fide contenders and flailing underachievers in recent seasons.

Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2022 Now scientists possess the technology to see how circadian rhythms oscillate at a molecular level based on behavior and time of day in both mice and people.

New York Times, 6 July 2022 See More

oscillate

verb

as in to fluctuate

to move back and forth in a rhythmic manner When a guitar string is plucked, it oscillates to produce sound waves in the air.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

fluctuate
undulate
pitch
rock
shake
flicker
roll
swing
waggle
sway
vibrate
careen
lurch
wag
wobble
seesaw
flutter
vacillate
wabble
toss
waver
stagger
totter
falter
halt
jolt
weave
reel
toddle
flounder
tumble
teeter
waddle
dodder
jerk
stumble
buck
hobble
blunder
hitch

as in to alternate

to continuously change from one belief, feeling, or condition to an opposite one The model's hair color oscillates between bleach blond and jet black.

Synonyms & Similar Words

alternate
fluctuate
swing
sway
balance
seesaw
vacillate
waver
flip-flop
haw
stagger
yo-yo
dither
falter
hesitate
wobble
halt
hem
hang back
teeter
wabble
weigh
ponder
deliberate
debate
scruple
equivocate
consider
shilly-shally
hedge
waffle
pussyfoot

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of oscillate are fluctuate, sway, swing, undulate, vibrate, and waver. While all these words mean "to move from one direction to its opposite," oscillate stresses a usually regular alternation of direction.

an oscillating fan

While the synonyms fluctuate and oscillate are close in meaning, fluctuate suggests constant irregular changes of level, intensity, or value.

fluctuating interest rates

The words sway and oscillate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sway implies a slow swinging or teetering movement.

trees swaying in the breeze

The synonyms swing and oscillate are sometimes interchangeable, but swing implies a movement of something attached at one end or one side.

the door suddenly swung open

The meanings of undulate and oscillate largely overlap; however, undulate suggests a gentle wavelike motion.

an undulating sea of grass

While in some cases nearly identical to oscillate, vibrate suggests the rapid oscillation of an elastic body under stress or impact.

the vibrating strings of a piano

Although the words waver and oscillate have much in common, waver stresses irregular motion suggestive of reeling or tottering.

the exhausted runner wavered before collapsing

单词	oscillate
释义	oscillate verb os·cil·late ˈä-sə-ˌlāt oscillated; oscillating intransitive verb 1 a : to swing backward and forward like a pendulum The fan was oscillating. b : to move or travel back and forth between two points he oscillates regularly between his comfortable home … and his downtown office-laboratory Gladwin Hill 2 : to vary between opposing beliefs, feelings, or theories The mood of the voters has oscillated between optimism and pessimism. 3 : to vary above and below a mean value Bank rate oscillates between 2 and 6 percent. oscillatory ˈä-sə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē adjective Example Sentences Recent Examples on the Web Stars can oscillate back and forth across the gap on millennial timescales, offering more chances for observers to witness the transition. James Riordon, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2022 In addition to the body’s main clock, your digestive hormones and metabolic capacity also oscillate over the day and night cycle. Alina Dizik, WSJ, 13 Aug. 2022 The yo-yo is the state’s droughts, which will continue to oscillate, and may even give way to extreme precipitation events such as atmospheric rivers or floods, as in the Oroville Dam crisis in 2017. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2022 Plus, the fan can oscillate up to 85 degrees, providing a cooling breeze to multiple areas of any space. Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 7 Aug. 2022 Magazine, is a visual feast of exuberant outfits and objects, while its subject appears to oscillate between feeling trapped by her surroundings and curious about them. CNN, 7 June 2022 Some models also have nozzles that oscillate to clean a wider area of the body while other models will have dual-nozzles, one for the back and one for the front. Megan Boettcher, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2022 Durant’s decision shakes up the power rankings of the Eastern Conference, which saw the Nets oscillate between bona fide contenders and flailing underachievers in recent seasons. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2022 Now scientists possess the technology to see how circadian rhythms oscillate at a molecular level based on behavior and time of day in both mice and people. New York Times, 6 July 2022 See More Word History Etymology Latin oscillatus, past participle of oscillare to swing, from oscillum swing First Known Use 1726, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Kids Definition oscillate verb os·cil·late ˈä-sə-ˌlāt oscillated; oscillating : to swing or move back and forth between two points Medical Definition oscillate intransitive verb os·cil·late ˈäs-ə-ˌlāt oscillated; oscillating 1 : to swing backward and forward like a pendulum 2 : to move or travel back and forth between two points oscillate verb 1 as in to fluctuate to move back and forth in a rhythmic manner When a guitar string is plucked, it oscillates to produce sound waves in the air. Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance fluctuate undulate pitch rock shake flicker roll swing waggle sway vibrate careen lurch wag wobble seesaw flutter vacillate wabble toss waver stagger totter falter halt jolt weave reel toddle flounder tumble teeter waddle dodder jerk stumble buck hobble blunder hitch 2 as in to alternate to continuously change from one belief, feeling, or condition to an opposite one The model's hair color oscillates between bleach blond and jet black. Synonyms & Similar Words alternate fluctuate swing sway balance seesaw vacillate waver flip-flop haw stagger yo-yo dither falter hesitate wobble halt hem hang back teeter wabble weigh ponder deliberate debate scruple equivocate consider shilly-shally hedge waffle pussyfoot Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of oscillate are fluctuate, sway, swing, undulate, vibrate, and waver. While all these words mean "to move from one direction to its opposite," oscillate stresses a usually regular alternation of direction. an oscillating fan While the synonyms fluctuate and oscillate are close in meaning, fluctuate suggests constant irregular changes of level, intensity, or value. fluctuating interest rates The words sway and oscillate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sway implies a slow swinging or teetering movement. trees swaying in the breeze The synonyms swing and oscillate are sometimes interchangeable, but swing implies a movement of something attached at one end or one side. the door suddenly swung open The meanings of undulate and oscillate largely overlap; however, undulate suggests a gentle wavelike motion. an undulating sea of grass While in some cases nearly identical to oscillate, vibrate suggests the rapid oscillation of an elastic body under stress or impact. the vibrating strings of a piano Although the words waver and oscillate have much in common, waver stresses irregular motion suggestive of reeling or tottering. the exhausted runner wavered before collapsing
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oscillate

verb

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

Medical Definition

intransitive verb

verb

Synonym Chooser