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.
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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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oscillate
An oscillating fan hung on a cinder block wall in the one of the rooms caused an electrical fire, Beal said.
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Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 12 Dec. 2025
Sound is a mechanical wave that propagates through a medium, such as a gas, liquid or solid, by causing particles to oscillate and transmit energy through the material.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Dec. 2025
In this sense, American politics may come to resemble Ukraine’s in the 1990s and early 2000s, which oscillated between democracy and competitive authoritarianism as pro-European or pro-Russian forces variously controlled the executive branch.
—Steven Levitsky, Foreign Affairs, 11 Dec. 2025
This ability to oscillate between the comedic and heartbreaking has earned O’Connor a comparison to a certain Hollywood legend from another Hollywood legend.
—Senior Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oscillate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oscillate
Verb
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Leaving wooden furniture in the garage keeps it safe from wind, rain, sleet, and snow, but the humidity and moisture levels within the garage tend to fluctuate with the weather outside.—
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The Good Jake, Bad Jake narrative became a thing, as Plummer fluctuated between dominant and inconsistent.—
Verb
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At concerts, the band would mostly alternate between songs sung by Weir and Garcia.—
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After Friday’s 12-point loss to Philadelphia, Orlando had alternated between wins and losses the last 12 games.—
Verb
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Homes are often designed with a horizontal orientation, mirroring the undulating terrain, and roofs are pitched with muted colors that recede into the background.—
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Hadid’s hair—a decidedly lighter blonde for the holidays—was styled in a breezy blowout with undulating waves and a nostalgic side-part.—
Verb
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At the end of Monday's live Atlas demonstration, the humanoid prototype swung its arms in a theatrical gesture to introduce a static model of the new product version of Atlas, which looked slightly different and was blue in color.—
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The Chiefs’ special teams also never swung the field with a return for a touchdown.—
Cite this Entry
“Oscillate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oscillate. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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