oscillate
verb (used without object)
to swing or move to and fro, as a pendulum does.
oscillates
-
present tense formof oscillate (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
Meanwhile, Brolin’s Bangley oscillates in personality from miserable bastard to laugh factory.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
“Space-time doesn’t just curve and expand; it also twists, oscillates, and sucks. Go outside on a cloudless night, and outer space will start sucking the heat right out of you.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
RSI, which oscillates between 10 and 100, tends to rise when prices rise.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 6, 2026
As the next round of talks approaches, the public oscillates between faint hopes for diplomacy and an acute awareness that events far beyond their control may reshape their future overnight.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026
If the universe truly oscillates, still stranger questions arise.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
