Oscillate
verb
To move back and forth regularly like a pendulum in a clock.
The fan oscillated back and forth cooling the room.
Often appears as...
- oscillate between
- oscillate back and forth
verb
To keep changing from one belief, feeling, condition, etc. to another and back again.
His mood oscillates between euphoria and deep depression.
Often appears as...
- oscillate between
- oscillate from
verb
In physics, to move or fluctuate between a high and a low, particularly within a regular period of time.
Electrons oscillate at a high frequency.
Often appears as...
- oscillate at a frequency
- oscillate around
Usage tips
Academic
verb
To move back and forth regularly like a pendulum in a clock.
The fan oscillated back and forth cooling the room.
Often appears as...
- oscillate between
- oscillate back and forth
verb
To keep changing from one belief, feeling, condition, etc. to another and back again.
His mood oscillates between euphoria and deep depression.
Often appears as...
- oscillate between
- oscillate from
verb
In physics, to move or fluctuate between a high and a low, particularly within a regular period of time.
Electrons oscillate at a high frequency.
Often appears as...
- oscillate at a frequency
- oscillate around
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Movement
Used when describing something with a motion similar to a swinging pendulum.
The tree branches oscillated in the wind.
Pro Tip 2/3Metaphorical Use
Sometimes used metaphorically for things that don't physically swing but vary regularly.
The discussions oscillated between serious and humorous.
Pro Tip 3/3Repetitive Action
Emphasizes the regular back-and-forth characteristic of an action or process.
Share prices oscillated throughout the trading day.
Compare with
fluctuaterockswayswingtottertremblevibratewaverwobble
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Video examples
Is it possible to create...
What we think of as subatomic particles, electrons and photons and their relatives, are actually vibrations in a quantum fabric that extends throughout the universe. And because of a physical law called the Heisenberg Principle, these fields never stop oscillating, even without any particles to set off the ripples.
Video examples
The infinite life of pi...
Well, just about any calculations involving circles, from the volume of a can of soda to the orbits of satellites. And it's not just circles, either. Because it's also useful in studying curves, pi helps us understand periodic or oscillating systems like clocks, electromagnetic waves,
Video examples
When technology...
introduction to biology as a technology I followed this preoccupation through engineering this is a theremin it's a musical instrument does anyone know it yeah awesome where you play it by waving your hands in front of antenna and you interfere with them with an oscillating
Video examples
How does your smartphone...
No matter how skilled a clockmaker may be, every pendulum, wind-up mechanism and quartz crystal resonates at a slightly different frequency. However, every cesium 133 atom in the universe oscillates at the same exact frequency. So thanks to the atomic clock,
Video examples
What’s a squillo, and...
a musical effect in which a note slightly oscillates in pitch. This creates a fuller sound that rings out over the instruments’ comparatively narrow vibratos. Once they have the right partials, they employ other techniques to boost their volume.
Video examples
Is radiation dangerous?...
Electromagnetic radiation is pure energy consisting of interacting electrical and magnetic waves oscillating through space. As these waves oscillate faster, they scale up in energy. At the lower end of the spectrum, there's radio, infrared,
Video examples
Why do buildings fall in...
and the midsized buildings that collapsed were observed shaking far more violently than the earthquake itself. How is that possible? The answer has to do with something known as natural frequency. In an oscillating system,
Video examples
Earthquakes 101 PIPE...
most earthquake-prone regions are where the most geologically active plates meet earthquakes or any seismic activity are recorded by seismographs when the ground shakes seismographs oscillate drawing a
Video examples
Billy Samuel Mwape: An...
With me cheerleading from the front as I walked backwards, because I needed to keep eye contact with him, I sang his favorite songs, as we oscillated between our bedroom and the kitchen.
Video examples
An underwater art...
Coralline algae applies a kind of purple paint. The deepest red I've ever seen in my life lives underwater. Gorgonian fans oscillate with the waves.
Video examples
Is it possible to create...
What we think of as subatomic particles, electrons and photons and their relatives, are actually vibrations in a quantum fabric that extends throughout the universe. And because of a physical law called the Heisenberg Principle, these fields never stop oscillating, even without any particles to set off the ripples.
Video examples
The infinite life of pi...
Well, just about any calculations involving circles, from the volume of a can of soda to the orbits of satellites. And it's not just circles, either. Because it's also useful in studying curves, pi helps us understand periodic or oscillating systems like clocks, electromagnetic waves,
Video examples
When technology...
introduction to biology as a technology I followed this preoccupation through engineering this is a theremin it's a musical instrument does anyone know it yeah awesome where you play it by waving your hands in front of antenna and you interfere with them with an oscillating
Video examples
How does your smartphone...
No matter how skilled a clockmaker may be, every pendulum, wind-up mechanism and quartz crystal resonates at a slightly different frequency. However, every cesium 133 atom in the universe oscillates at the same exact frequency. So thanks to the atomic clock,
Video examples
What’s a squillo, and...
a musical effect in which a note slightly oscillates in pitch. This creates a fuller sound that rings out over the instruments’ comparatively narrow vibratos. Once they have the right partials, they employ other techniques to boost their volume.
Video examples
Is radiation dangerous?...
Electromagnetic radiation is pure energy consisting of interacting electrical and magnetic waves oscillating through space. As these waves oscillate faster, they scale up in energy. At the lower end of the spectrum, there's radio, infrared,
Video examples
Why do buildings fall in...
and the midsized buildings that collapsed were observed shaking far more violently than the earthquake itself. How is that possible? The answer has to do with something known as natural frequency. In an oscillating system,
Video examples
Earthquakes 101 PIPE...
most earthquake-prone regions are where the most geologically active plates meet earthquakes or any seismic activity are recorded by seismographs when the ground shakes seismographs oscillate drawing a
Video examples
Billy Samuel Mwape: An...
With me cheerleading from the front as I walked backwards, because I needed to keep eye contact with him, I sang his favorite songs, as we oscillated between our bedroom and the kitchen.
Video examples
An underwater art...
Coralline algae applies a kind of purple paint. The deepest red I've ever seen in my life lives underwater. Gorgonian fans oscillate with the waves.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Bel Powley
British Actress
Movies make teenagers have quippy answers for every question. Nothing seems to faze them, and they're like, 'Oh, whatever.' You're not like that when you're a teenager. You're really earnest. Things really feel like life or death. And you kind of oscillate between emotions at one time. It's very emotionally draining being a teenager.
Quote examples
Barbara Ehrenreich
American Writer
I routinely oscillate between exultation and despair. Maybe at the end of the day I feel pretty good about what I've written, but the next morning I see that it's crap. Then I start again - make a new outline, do some more research, try to rethink the whole question.
Quote examples
Sebastian Horsley
British Artist
Everyone says Oscar Wilde was a dandy, but he wasn't - he was an aesthete. He took pleasure in food and stuff like that. Dandyism is much more austere - much more Calvinistic, more neurotic - it oscillates between narcissism and neurosis.
Quote examples
Killian Scott
Irish Actor
Politics is real. It has an impact on people's lives. It's harder to quantify the impact art has. Personally, I oscillate between two extremes. Some days I think it's very important. Other days I think it isn't important at all.
Quote examples
Cai Guo-Qiang
Chinese Artist
I'm always oscillating between if I should sprinkle more gunpowder or less. But if I put too much gunpowder, there may be holes throughout the silk. If not enough, the power and energy would not be shown.
Quote examples
Bel Powley
British Actress
When you're a teenager, your essence is so specific to being a teenager, and everything becomes so extreme. Your emotions are on the surface, and you oscillate between different things at one time.
Quote examples
Rabih Alameddine
Lebanese Artist
I oscillate between being cynical and being naive on a regular basis. I always think that not much shocks me until something much too obvious does.
Quote examples
Julien Baker
American Musician
I think there's seasons of life. It oscillates.
Quote examples
Brad Pitt
Actor
I oscillate between agnosticism and atheism.
Quote examples
Bel Powley
British Actress
Movies make teenagers have quippy answers for every question. Nothing seems to faze them, and they're like, 'Oh, whatever.' You're not like that when you're a teenager. You're really earnest. Things really feel like life or death. And you kind of oscillate between emotions at one time. It's very emotionally draining being a teenager.
Quote examples
Barbara Ehrenreich
American Writer
I routinely oscillate between exultation and despair. Maybe at the end of the day I feel pretty good about what I've written, but the next morning I see that it's crap. Then I start again - make a new outline, do some more research, try to rethink the whole question.
Quote examples
Sebastian Horsley
British Artist
Everyone says Oscar Wilde was a dandy, but he wasn't - he was an aesthete. He took pleasure in food and stuff like that. Dandyism is much more austere - much more Calvinistic, more neurotic - it oscillates between narcissism and neurosis.
Quote examples
Killian Scott
Irish Actor
Politics is real. It has an impact on people's lives. It's harder to quantify the impact art has. Personally, I oscillate between two extremes. Some days I think it's very important. Other days I think it isn't important at all.
Quote examples
Cai Guo-Qiang
Chinese Artist
I'm always oscillating between if I should sprinkle more gunpowder or less. But if I put too much gunpowder, there may be holes throughout the silk. If not enough, the power and energy would not be shown.
Quote examples
Bel Powley
British Actress
When you're a teenager, your essence is so specific to being a teenager, and everything becomes so extreme. Your emotions are on the surface, and you oscillate between different things at one time.
Quote examples
Rabih Alameddine
Lebanese Artist
I oscillate between being cynical and being naive on a regular basis. I always think that not much shocks me until something much too obvious does.
Quote examples
Julien Baker
American Musician
I think there's seasons of life. It oscillates.
Quote examples
Brad Pitt
Actor
I oscillate between agnosticism and atheism.
Example 1 of 9
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