radiate
Americanverb (used without object)
-
radiates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
radiated,
past participle, past
-
radiating
present participle
-
to extend, spread, or move like rays or radii from a center.
-
to emit rays, as of light or heat; irradiate.
-
to issue or proceed in rays.
-
(of persons) to project or glow with cheerfulness, joy, etc..
She simply radiates with good humor.
verb (used with object)
-
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
-
radiating from a center.
-
having rays extending from a central point or part.
a coin showing a radiate head.
-
radiating symmetrically.
verb
-
Also: eradiate. to emit (heat, light, or some other form of radiation) or (of heat, light, etc) to be emitted as radiation
-
(intr) (of lines, beams, etc) to spread out from a centre or be arranged in a radial pattern
-
(tr) (of a person) to show (happiness, health, etc) to a great degree
adjective
-
having rays; radiating
-
(of a capitulum) consisting of ray florets
-
(of animals or their parts) showing radial symmetry
-
adorned or decorated with rays
a radiate head on a coin
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
radiabilitynoun
-
radiablenessnoun
-
reradiateverb
-
interradiateverb (used without object)
-
antiradiatingadjective
-
multiradiateadjective
-
multiradiatedadjective
-
nonradiatingadjective
-
radiableadjective
-
subradiateadjective
-
unradiatedadjective
-
radiablyadverb
-
radiatelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
radiatesimple
-
radiatessimple
-
have radiatedperfect
-
has radiatedperfect
-
am radiatingprogressive
-
are radiatingprogressive
-
is radiatingprogressive
-
have been radiatingperfect progressive
-
has been radiatingperfect progressive
Past
-
radiatedsimple
-
had radiatedperfect
-
was radiatingprogressive
-
were radiatingprogressive
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Achievement First 6th Grade IA 1 Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began" by Art Spiegelman
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
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
In 1974, Stephen Hawking showed that black holes radiate heat and can eventually evaporate, apparently erasing all information about what fell into them — contradicting the quantum principle that evolution must preserve information.
From Science Daily ● May 22, 2026
The joy that would radiate from a small child’s face when he or she learns they are getting a brand new bicycle was precious.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
He’s in his midfifties, thinning hair, owlish eyes that radiate intelligence.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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
At such high temperatures, plasma radiates energy to cool itself quickly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 28, 2026
Stillness: this is what he radiates more than anything else.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
The resulting device can control the direction in which heat is radiated, switch that behavior on or off, and retain its configuration even after the power has been turned off.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 7, 2026
"You could really feel the love that he radiated towards his mum, dad and sister."
From BBC ● May 29, 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
To get there, she jumped, radiated and hair-flipped through an exuberant free program set to Donna Summer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026
The whole evening radiated an Old World ambience, as though the event were taking place in 1872, in a huge European beer garden, rather than 1972, in a covered Icelandic arena.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
The heat felt like 100 degrees radiating off the pavement.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
While the impact will not be visible from Earth with the naked eye, people with access to a sophisticated telescope may be able to see a flash radiating off the Moon's surface, Bothwell said.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Instead of simply radiating outward, thermal energy can effectively tunnel across the narrow gap through electromagnetic waves.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 8, 2026
Buses are infrequent and haphazard, while the subway has only six trundling lines radiating out from the centre, making connections impossible without going all the way in and then all the way out again.
From Barron's ● May 27, 2026
“Ma’am, I was just walking by and she was riding the pony and she f—” The woman stood and got in Dill’s face, radiating wild fury.
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
