Definition of oscillationnext
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

Relevance
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of oscillation Scientists do not yet know exactly what causes the oscillations. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 15 June 2026 The alternative is oscillation, extraction, or irrelevance. Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026 As these frequencies are extremely stable, counting their oscillations provides an exceptionally accurate way to measure time. Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026 Its vertical and horizontal dual oscillation, coupled with an airflow range of up to 50 feet, efficiently circulates air in any direction. ABC News, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for oscillation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oscillation
Noun
  • This helps the Spin inject power into the grid instantly, preventing major grid fluctuations.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
  • Instead, Versova said the price of most of its eggs depends on cost fluctuations of grain used in hen feeds.
    Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • Lymphatic drainage has gone from a niche clinical treatment to a category spanning $8 dry brushes and $300 vibration plates, with search interest climbing by triple digits since 2021.
    Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026
  • And stiffer sidewalls and larger tread blocks may transmit more surface vibration and noise into the passenger cabin.
    Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Prices are subject to rapid, unpredictable changes due to factors like, but not limited to, supply/demand, weather, and geopolitical events.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • Valerie Castile spoke Monday night about many changes inspired by her son’s death.
    Tyler Quattrin, Twin Cities, 7 July 2026
Noun
  • Casting near banks and using a twitching technique can increase success during the hatch.
    Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
  • During this phase, octopuses display visible twitching along with rapid changes in skin color and texture, per NPR.
    Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
    CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026
  • When the shaking subsided, Perez could not reach her nephew, or his wife, by phone.
    Joshua Partlow, The Atlantic, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • All the trembling, as Kimbangu touched the sick, alarmed European settlers and reassured the plantation workers who trekked to Nkamba in search of healing.
    Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
  • At first this change of scale vivifies the butterfly—its brief stillness, the angle of its wings, its trembling—while freezing everything else, including the novel’s action.
    Ben Lerner, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Oscillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oscillation. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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