oscillate

[ os-uh-leyt ]

verb (used without object)

, os·cil·lat·ed, os·cil·lat·ing.

1. to swing or move to and fro, as a pendulum does.
2. to vary or vacillate between differing beliefs, opinions, conditions, etc.:

   He oscillates regularly between elation and despair.

   Synonyms: waver, fluctuate

3. Physics. to have, produce, or generate oscillations.
4. Mathematics. (of a function, sequence, etc.) to tend to no limit, including infinity:

   The sequence 0, 1, 0, 1, … oscillates.

verb (used with object)

, os·cil·lat·ed, os·cil·lat·ing.

1. to cause to move to and fro; vibrate.

oscillate

/ ˈɒsɪˌleɪt /

verb

1. intr to move or swing from side to side regularly
2. intr to waver between opinions, courses of action, etc
3. physics to undergo or produce or cause to undergo or produce oscillation

Other Words From

• inter·oscil·late verb interoscillated interoscillating
• un·oscil·lating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of oscillate¹

1720–30; < Latin oscillātus (past participle of oscillāre “to swing, ride on a swing”), equivalent to oscill(um) “a swing” + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of oscillate¹

C18: from Latin oscillāre to swing, from oscillum a swing

Synonym Study

See swing ¹.

Example Sentences

It’s an immediately familiar side of Agatha because we’ve watched her oscillate, even begrudgingly, between these two poles of her existence on the Witches Road as she became more protective over and envious of Billy and his growing power.

From Salon

While countries like ours may “oscillate a bit and become more or less democratic,” de Mesquita said, there has “never” in history been a mature democracy that has slid into authoritarianism, dictatorship or autocracy.

From Salon

The national governments oscillate between empowering and funding the commission, and seeking to control it, blame it for failures and grab the credit for successes.

From New York Times

The authors observed that like an ocean wave forming and then crashing on to a shoreline, the signals from the neocortex oscillate between on and off states in intervals while a person or animal sleeps.

From Science Daily

Everything has a certain frequency that it likes to vibrate -- or oscillate at.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• fluctuate
• lurch
• seesaw
• teeter
• vacillate
• waver
• wobble