radiate
Americanverb (used without object)
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radiates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
radiated,
past participle, past
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radiating
present participle
-
to extend, spread, or move like rays or radii from a center.
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to emit rays, as of light or heat; irradiate.
-
to issue or proceed in rays.
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(of persons) to project or glow with cheerfulness, joy, etc..
She simply radiates with good humor.
verb (used with object)
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radiates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
radiated,
past participle, past
-
radiating
present participle
-
to emit in rays; disseminate, as from a center.
-
(of persons) to project (joy, goodwill, etc.).
adjective
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radiating from a center.
-
having rays extending from a central point or part.
a coin showing a radiate head.
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radiating symmetrically.
verb
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Also: eradiate. to emit (heat, light, or some other form of radiation) or (of heat, light, etc) to be emitted as radiation
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(intr) (of lines, beams, etc) to spread out from a centre or be arranged in a radial pattern
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(tr) (of a person) to show (happiness, health, etc) to a great degree
adjective
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having rays; radiating
-
(of a capitulum) consisting of ray florets
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(of animals or their parts) showing radial symmetry
-
adorned or decorated with rays
a radiate head on a coin
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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radiabilitynoun
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radiablenessnoun
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reradiateverb
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interradiateverb (used without object)
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antiradiatingadjective
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multiradiateadjective
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multiradiatedadjective
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nonradiatingadjective
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radiableadjective
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subradiateadjective
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unradiatedadjective
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radiablyadverb
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radiatelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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radiatesimple
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radiatessimple
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have radiatedperfect
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has radiatedperfect
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am radiatingprogressive
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are radiatingprogressive
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is radiatingprogressive
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have been radiatingperfect progressive
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has been radiatingperfect progressive
Past
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radiatedsimple
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had radiatedperfect
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was radiatingprogressive
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were radiatingprogressive
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had been radiatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of radiate
First recorded in 1610–20, radiate is from the Latin word radiātus (past participle of radiāre to radiate light, shine). See radiant, -ate 1
Explanation
When something radiates, it sends out waves or rays. The sun radiates light and warmth. If your house has a radiator, that might help you remember this word, because the radiator radiates warmth. Radiating is a concept that applies to anything that emits rays or waves. People camping make a fire so it can radiate light and heat. Our bodies radiate some heat, but not nearly as much as something as hot as a stove. If a nuclear reactor is damaged, it could radiate dangerous nuclear energy — or radiation.
Vocabulary lists containing radiate
Bud, Not Buddy
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Achievement First 6th Grade IA 1 Words
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"Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began" by Art Spiegelman
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But Ms. Northeast seems to radiate the same joy as Sybylla’s in being who she is and doing what she does.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Charged-up walls radiate warmth back into rooms that never get the chance to cool.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Cordido's eyes can't help but radiate with gratitude when he speaks about the volunteer rescuers who pulled him from the ruins of Venezuela's double earthquake, which killed more than 2,600 people.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
As I ambled past groups doing yoga and vacationing families lounging on the grass, pain started to radiate through my ankles and up my shinbones before settling uncomfortably in my hips.
From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026
However, in the end most people, including John Taylor, have come to the conclusion that black holes must radiate like hot bodies if our other ideas about general relativity and quantum mechanics are correct.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
Clad in a sleeveless bright green dress, Anderson, 57, radiates an ageless grace, undeniably sophisticated yet unpretentious in her demeanor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
As a “heat dome” radiates across the US east coast, fans are turning up in record heat to cheer on their teams in the middle of the World Cup.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Durga Devi finds no relief after a day working in New Delhi's sweltering summer, because her poorly ventilated home radiates trapped heat, leaving her bedroom as hot as 45 degrees at night.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
Teenagers everywhere fell under the spell of Rice’s vampires in the mid-‘80s with an ardor that AMC’s “The Vampire Lestat” radiates through the devotion of his superfans.
From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026
Kristi radiates “cool,” and I know it as sure as I know David’ll stop that speeding train at the last-last second.
From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord
Not only did it, the sky also radiated some of Maria’s favorite colors, fall hues, a palate of gold and pale orange.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
He cranked the energy back up for his 2011 hit No Church in the Wild, which was amplified by firey pyrotechnics that radiated heat through the stadium.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
At its peak, it temporarily radiated with the brilliance of about 10 billion suns.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
In 1967, his black evening gown with cape radiated simplicity in form and draping even as it also referenced the attire of Catholic priests.
From Salon ● May 17, 2026
His demeanor had radiated an inner calm and resolution, as if he had finally made a decision he would never be able to go back on.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Lowrimore visited three different hospitals across both states over the following week as she began passing blood clots and the pain intensified, radiating up the left side of her body, according to the lawsuit.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
He’s hardly able to parry the upbraiding meted out by Mr. Giamatti’s Jean, fastidiously dressed and radiating pompous self-satisfaction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
“We hope you’ll continue radiating positivity in your community throughout the year, and thank you for loving this festival as much as we do.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
The heat felt like 100 degrees radiating off the pavement.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
“There is always work to be done in this life,” she said sternly, her eyes radiating a certain heat that made me uncomfortable.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
