pendulum

American  

[pen-juh-luhm, pen-duh-] / ˈpɛn dʒə ləm, ˈpɛn də- /

noun

1. a body so suspended from a fixed point as to move to and fro by the action of gravity and acquired momentum.

2. Horology. a swinging lever, weighted at the lower end, for regulating the speed of a clock mechanism.

3. something that tends to move from one position, condition, etc., to the opposite extreme and then back again.

   In a democratic society, the pendulum of political thought swings left and right.

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pendulum British  

/ ˈpɛndjʊləm /

noun

1. a body mounted so that it can swing freely under the influence of gravity. It is either a bob hung on a light thread ( simple pendulum ) or a more complex structure ( compound pendulum )

2. such a device used to regulate a clockwork mechanism

3. something that changes its position, attitude, etc fairly regularly

   the pendulum of public opinion

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pendulum Scientific  

/ pĕn′jə-ləm /

1. A mass hung from a fixed support so that it is able to swing freely under the influence of gravity. Since the motion of pendulums is regular and periodic, they are often used to regulate the action of various devices, especially clocks.

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Other Word Forms

• pendulumlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of pendulum

1650–60; < New Latin, noun use of neuter of Latin pendulus pendulous

Example Sentences

Levy: I always like to pull the pendulum back as far as possible.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

The story of the labor market, which can sometimes resemble a pendulum, is more complicated.

From Slate • Mar. 6, 2026

The pendulum would swing towards the dominant MCO partner in Chelsea.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

We can think of climate change as a pendulum: as it intensifies, it swings from one extreme to another, hot and cold and dry and wet.

From Salon • Jan. 30, 2026

The pendulum having failed, she went out to look for her by carriage, hoping that her instinct would guide her in her search, but that method also was unsuccessful.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Related Words

• timer