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
Gladwin Hill2
: 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
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
oscillating
verb
1
as in fluctuating
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
- fluctuating
- undulating
- rocking
- rolling
- flickering
- shaking
- pitching
- swinging
- vibrating
- swaying
- waggling
- lurching
- wobbling
- fluttering
- wagging
- seesawing
- careening
- tossing
- wabbling
- wavering
- vacillating
- jolting
- staggering
- weaving
- tumbling
- jerking
- reeling
- tottering
- faltering
- floundering
- halting
- bucking
- waddling
- blundering
- stumbling
- teetering
- toddling
- doddering
- hobbling
- hitching
2
as in alternating
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
- alternating
- swinging
- fluctuating
- swaying
- balancing
- seesawing
- wavering
- vacillating
- yo-yoing
- flip-flopping
- wobbling
- staggering
- faltering
- dithering
- halting
- hawing
- hemming
- hesitating
- weighing
- hanging back
- teetering
- scrupling
- wabbling
- pondering
- debating
- deliberating
- waffling
- considering
- hedging
- equivocating
- shilly-shallying
- pussyfooting