resonate
Americanverb (used without object)
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to resound.
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Electronics. to reinforce oscillations because the natural frequency of the device is the same as the frequency of the source.
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to amplify vocal sound by the sympathetic vibration of air in certain cavities and bony structures.
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to produce a positive feeling, emotional response, or opinion.
an issue that clearly resonates with members of our community; a poem that resonates for me.
verb (used with object)
verb
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to resound or cause to resound; reverberate
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(of a mechanical system, electrical circuit, chemical compound, etc) to exhibit or cause to exhibit resonance
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to be understood or receive a sympathetic response
themes which will resonate with voters
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to be filled with
simple words that seem to resonate with mystery and beauty
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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resonatesimple
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resonatessimple
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have resonatedperfect
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has resonatedperfect
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am resonatingprogressive
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are resonatingprogressive
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is resonatingprogressive
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have been resonatingperfect progressive
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has been resonatingperfect progressive
Past
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resonatedsimple
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had resonatedperfect
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was resonatingprogressive
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were resonatingprogressive
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had been resonatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of resonate
First recorded in 1870–75; from Latin resonātus “sounded again,” past participle of resonāre “to sound again”; see resound
Explanation
To resonate is to make, hear, or even understand a deep, full sound. Your speech about the dangers of scarves and convertibles will resonate with your audience if you tell the story of Isadora Duncan's death. The verb resonate, which comes from the Latin resonatum, first referred only to sound, but has now developed an emotional connotation. Resonate sounds a whole lot like another verb, resound, but they have subtly different meanings. Resound means “to repeat the sound,” but resonate means “to expand, amplify.” Sound can resonate when broadcast through speakers, and so can an idea or feeling, when expressed articulately or with passion.
Vocabulary lists containing resonate
A Long Way Gone
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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
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This Week in Words: September 17 - 24, 2017
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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:
The fibers are engineered to a length that enables them to resonate, producing a return that confuses enemy radar or tricks radar-guided missiles into locking onto the wrong target.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
While the “Heartstopper” team expected the series to resonate with younger audiences, they have been particularly moved by the reactions of older queer viewers, who have marveled at the strides in LGBTQ+ representation onscreen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
"Communism is a word that just doesn't resonate anymore" for Americans under 50, Chase told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
"I resonate with those words so much. More than being unstoppable, I think it refers to a dream and an aspiration to become unstoppable," Eala told BBC TV.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
If my story is true, I trust it will resonate with significance for other lives.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
This boundary-crossing may help explain why the phenomenon resonates so strongly at this cultural moment.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
The Labour activists were invited to canvass with him and make edits of his time on the Makerfield by-election campaign trail in a language and style that resonates with people online.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
With her movies and her music, it’s all relatable and it resonates with you, the lyrics, the storyline and even her new album that just came out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
She also resonates with Nikki’s constant need for reassurance, admitting she asks Paiva if he loves her two to three times a day just to make sure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
There’s an initial sense of impact followed by an explosion that resonates in my innermost parts, the lining of my intestines, the marrow of my bones, the roots of my teeth.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Hamawy “did not shy away from that, and it resonated with the people.”
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026
The park and its surroundings exploded into a collective cheer that tickled my rib cage and resonated deep in my ear canal to the point I had to cover my ears.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Since the 1920s were a time of unsettling social change, his call to a return to traditional values resonated with many Americans.
From Salon ● Jun. 30, 2026
He had been reading about what happened to Harriet, and it resonated with his wife's treatment.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
It was not only an homage to one of my favorite songs by the Doors—but it was a statement that deeply resonated with me.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
Cardmember perks are resonating, an Amex executive says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The company is revamping its stores and improving its selection, and those moves are resonating with shoppers.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
On Tuesday night, Shaw sounded hopeful and confident that her campaign themes were resonating beyond her conservative roots.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
Fan Eve Rigby, 23, agrees: "I remember Euphoria resonating strongly within my friend group as the characters felt like a more stylised version of us as 17-year-olds, but season three is harder to resonate."
From BBC ● May 30, 2026
A man was hanging out of the door, a loudspeaker pressed to his mouth, his slow Hausa words resonating.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
