1
as in fluctuation
the frequent and usually sudden passing from one condition to another
fickle springtime weather in which there seemed to be an unceasing oscillation between unseasonable heat and unseasonable cold
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in vibration
a series of slight movements by a body back and forth or from side to side
the precise oscillations of the quartz crystal that allows a quartz watch to keep such accurate time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oscillation
Because the experiments operate at different distances and energies, each captures complementary features of neutrino oscillations.
—
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 Dec. 2025
This is a wine-glass shaped hemisphere of quartz that resonates, producing a standing wave oscillation.
—New Atlas, 2 Dec. 2025
James Provost Like an MRI scanner, a proton-precession magnetometer measures the oscillations of hydrogen nuclei—that is, protons.
—David Schneider, IEEE Spectrum, 25 Nov. 2025
These oscillations tend to vary through the course of the winter season, and locally have a greater effect on our weather at times.
—Cutter Martin, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oscillation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oscillation
Noun
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Neila Roa, carrying her 5-month-old baby, sells packs of cigarettes to passersby, having to monitor daily fluctuations in currency to adjust the price.—
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Their role as a major political force has since become more symbolic, but the impact of fluctuations in currency on their business is what led them to spark the protests that have since turned deadly.—
Noun
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Watts’s snare sound was really a mix of sounds—a thwacking snap on the head, the vibration of the air in the drum itself, the click of wood on the rim.—
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Shorebirds like sandpipers and plovers use this sense to detect prey beneath the sand by sensing subtle mechanical vibrations.—
Noun
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In November 2025, Chief Jaime Moore was sworn in as the new head of the department following leadership changes, brought on by the handling of the Palisades Fire.—
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That simple change would introduce real competition, allowing merchants to choose lower-cost options and forcing the dominant players to compete on price and service--just like any other market.—
Noun
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Patients first experience twitching or weakness in a limb, as Decker did.—
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The more serious side effects of caffeine overdose include trouble breathing, sudden high blood pressure, muscle twitching, confusion, vomiting and seizures.—
Noun
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Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
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The strongest shaking was recorded in parts of Matsue and Yasugi in Shimane, and Sakaiminato and nearby towns in Tottori.—
Noun
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There’s Walter’s serene cello and Marjorie’s pensive, slightly coy violin, sometimes playful or petulant or, still, a little vain and secretive — other times thin and trembling, lost in the haze of dementia.—
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Lost in the trembling of my own body, trembling like Bunny’s body.—
Cite this Entry
“Oscillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oscillation. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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