1
as in fluctuated
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 alternated
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 oscillated
As news about the company has rolled in, Denver’s status with Flock has oscillated.
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Kevin Collier, NBC news, 1 Nov. 2025
Not long after that, support for the policy oscillated among other officials.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Over the past three years, his sound has oscillated between folk and rock.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
The work of Thierry Mugler, who founded the label in 1974, oscillated between old Hollywood, high camp, and outer space—and sometimes encompassed all three—but was always delivered by a fierce talent aided and abetted by a scalpel-sharp sense of form and fit.
—Mark Holgate, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2025
The ’90s nail palette oscillated between pastels, vibrant neons, and metallic tones, recalling the flashy aesthetics of music videos and commercials of the time.
—Jeanne Ballion, Glamour, 29 Aug. 2025
Newcastle’s midfield trio oscillated horizontally to block the passing lanes into Tielemans and Rogers, as seen in this example in the 25th minute.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
For the past week, residents have oscillated between grief and fear after authorities said an Army veteran walked into The Owl Bar in Anaconda and opened fire.
—Holly Yan, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2025
The cluster oscillated at one million deflections per second.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oscillated
Verb
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Florida State has fluctuated between big wins and crushingly close losses.—
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Finch cited Oklahoma City as an example of a team that changed the roles of players throughout its rotation depending on matchups, noting the minutes for Thunder Isaiah Hartenstein fluctuated.—
Verb
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Venezuela’s interim leader, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, has alternated between taking a conciliatory approach towards Washington and striking a defiant tone.—
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Stocks alternated between gains and losses on Friday, the first trading day of the new year, though the S & P 500 eventually closed higher .—
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
“Oscillated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oscillated. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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