oscillate
verb
os·cil·late
ˈä-sə-ˌlāt 
oscillated; oscillating
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.
Examples of oscillate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Neutrinos at much lower energies traveling much shorter distances also oscillate in the same way.
—Doug Cowen, Discover Magazine, 27 Apr. 2024
Our lives oscillate between light and dark repeating itself in an endless cycle where nothing is permanent.
—Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 23 Apr. 2024
The United Kingdom’s approach to the country has oscillated wildly over the past 14 years.
—David Lammy, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2024
However, the frequency and voltage throughout the grid began to oscillate around 20 times per second (the blue trace in Figure 4), indicating a major grid stability problem and causing some customers to be automatically disconnected.
—Benjamin Kroposki, IEEE Spectrum, 13 Apr. 2024
The person grieving will oscillate between both modes—at times mourning, and at times setting aside emotions to nurture new relationships or figure out the logistics of a different life without their loved one.
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
If the speed is low enough, the pendulum will oscillate back and forth.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 Apr. 2024
Sunshine level may oscillate in and out of clouds much of the day, especially after morning hours when skies may be brightest.
—A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
There are several different types of lawn sprinklers available, including traveling, stationary, and telescoping, and some have the ability to rotate and oscillate for better water distribution around the lawn.
—Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2024
Doug Cowen, Discover Magazine, 27 Apr. 2024
Our lives oscillate between light and dark repeating itself in an endless cycle where nothing is permanent.
—Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 23 Apr. 2024
The United Kingdom’s approach to the country has oscillated wildly over the past 14 years.
—David Lammy, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2024
However, the frequency and voltage throughout the grid began to oscillate around 20 times per second (the blue trace in Figure 4), indicating a major grid stability problem and causing some customers to be automatically disconnected.
—Benjamin Kroposki, IEEE Spectrum, 13 Apr. 2024
The person grieving will oscillate between both modes—at times mourning, and at times setting aside emotions to nurture new relationships or figure out the logistics of a different life without their loved one.
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
If the speed is low enough, the pendulum will oscillate back and forth.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 Apr. 2024
Sunshine level may oscillate in and out of clouds much of the day, especially after morning hours when skies may be brightest.
—A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
There are several different types of lawn sprinklers available, including traveling, stationary, and telescoping, and some have the ability to rotate and oscillate for better water distribution around the lawn.
—Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oscillate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near oscillate
Cite this Entry
“Oscillate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oscillate. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
oscillate
verb
os·cil·late
ˈäs-ə-ˌlāt
oscillated; oscillating
1
a
: to swing backward and forward like a pendulum
b
: to move or travel back and forth between two points
2
: to have trouble deciding between opposing beliefs, feelings, or ideas
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
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