resonance

[ rez-uh-nuhns ]

/ ˈrɛz ə nəns /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for resonance on Thesaurus.com

noun

the state or quality of being resonant.

the prolongation of sound by reflection; reverberation.

Phonetics.

amplification of the range of audibility of any source of speech sounds, especially of phonation, by various couplings of the cavities of the mouth, nose, sinuses, larynx, pharynx, and upper thorax, and, to some extent, by the skeletal structure of the head and upper chest.
the distribution of amplitudes among interrelated cavities in the head, chest, and throat that are characteristic for a particular speech sound and relatively independent of variations in pitch.

Physics.

the state of a system in which an abnormally large vibration is produced in response to an external stimulus, occurring when the frequency of the stimulus is the same, or nearly the same, as the natural vibration frequency of the system.
the vibration produced in such a state.
a hadron with a very short lifetime, of the order of 10−23 sec.

Electricity. that condition of a circuit with respect to a given frequency or the like in which the net reactance is zero and the current flow a maximum.

Also called mesomerism. Chemistry. the condition exhibited by a molecule when the actual arrangement of its valence electrons is intermediate between two or more arrangements having nearly the same energy, and the positions of the atomic nuclei are identical.

Medicine/Medical. (in percussing for diagnostic purposes) a sound produced when air is present.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of resonance

1485–95; <Middle French <Latin resonantia echo, equivalent to reson(āre) to resound + -antia-ance

OTHER WORDS FROM resonance

hy·per·res·o·nance, noun

Words nearby resonance

resolvable, resolve, resolved, resolvent, resolving power, resonance, resonance radiation, resonant, resonant cavity, resonant circuit, resonant-jet engine

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use resonance in a sentence

This is also exactly what happened, even more egregiously, at the end of Hill House — and just as with Hill House, viewers likely won’t care, because they’ll be too invested in the emotional resonance of the moment.
Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor is a calm, loving study in how to exorcise your ghosts|Aja Romano|October 9, 2020|Vox
While the participants were adjusting their bets, they lay inside a machine that performs functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI.
Confidence can make you miss important information|Bethany Brookshire|October 1, 2020|Science News For Students
As a result, ads create more impact and resonance on CTV than on other platforms, including mobile and linear television.
Multicultural audiences are making nuanced media choices|Vevo|August 25, 2020|Digiday
Researchers at Facebook and New York University have found a way to significantly reduce the time it takes to capture magnetic resonance images, in a breakthrough with potential to transform medical imaging.
Facebook and NYU researchers discover a way to speed up MRI scans|Jeremy Kahn|August 18, 2020|Fortune

“When you get into one of these resonances, those tidal waves start to get bigger,” he says.
Jupiter’s moons could keep each other warm by raising tidal waves|Lisa Grossman|August 6, 2020|Science News
It would be difficult to find an issue with less resonance with the vast majority of voters than climate change.
Time to Bring Back the Truman Democrats|Joel Kotkin|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In any case, the narrative resonance of all this is impossible to deny.
The Fiery Underground Oil Pit Eating L.A.|Geoff Manaugh|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Byrne's voice isn't a singer's voice—it doesn't have the resonance.
The Stacks: Pauline Kael's Talking Heads Obsession|Pauline Kael|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The timing of the violence against the students has particular resonance and has stirred public sentiment.
Anatomy of a Mexican Student Massacre|Jason McGahan|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The film holds a special resonance for Jones, since Terry also served as his mentor.
Quincy Jones Talks Chicago’s Mean Streets, Why Kanye West Is No Michael Jackson, and Bieber|Marlow Stern|September 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The m relates it to the nares or humming tone (which is the basis of all resonance in the voice).
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
Then gradually raise the pitch, still obtaining the tones from the chest and uttering them with full resonance.
The Ontario Readers: The High School Reader, 1886|Ministry of Education
He was remarkable for the exceeding courtesy of his demeanor and for the sweetness and bell-like resonance of his voice.
Nullification, Secession Webster's Argument and the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions|Caleb William Loring
The term "dark" here implies a deep and obscure resonance, with little friction.
The Sounds of Spoken English|Walter Rippmann
It was a still, clear, freezing night, when the least sound clinked with a metallic resonance.
A Budget of Christmas Tales by Charles Dickens and Others|Various

British Dictionary definitions for resonance

resonance

/ (ˈrɛzənəns) /

noun

the condition or quality of being resonant

sound produced by a body vibrating in sympathy with a neighbouring source of sound

the condition of a body or system when it is subjected to a periodic disturbance of the same frequency as the natural frequency of the body or system. At this frequency the system displays an enhanced oscillation or vibration

amplification of speech sounds by sympathetic vibration in the bone structure of the head and chest, resounding in the cavities of the nose, mouth, and pharynx

electronics the condition of an electrical circuit when the frequency is such that the capacitive and inductive reactances are equal in magnitude. In a series circuit there is then maximum alternating current whilst in a parallel circuit there is minimum alternating current

med the sound heard when percussing a hollow bodily structure, esp the chest or abdomen. Change in the quality of the sound often indicates an underlying disease or disorder

chem the phenomenon in which the electronic structure of a molecule can be represented by two or more hypothetical structures involving single, double, and triple chemical bonds. The true structure is considered to be an average of these theoretical structures

physics

the condition of a system in which there is a sharp maximum probability for the absorption of electromagnetic radiation or capture of particles
a type of elementary particle of extremely short lifetime. Resonances are regarded as excited states of more stable particles
a highly transient atomic state formed during a collision process

Word Origin for resonance

C16: from Latin resonāre to resound

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for resonance

resonance

[ rĕz′ə-nəns ]

Oscillation induced in a physical system when it is affected by another system that is itself oscillating at the right frequency. For example, a swing will swing to greater heights if each consecutive push on it is timed to be in rhythm with the initial swing. Radios are tuned to pick up one radio frequency rather than another using a resonant circuit that resonates strongly with the incoming signal at only a narrow band of frequencies. The soundboards of musical instruments, contrastingly, are designed to resonate with a large range of frequencies produced by the instrument. See also harmonic motion.

resonance

Origin of resonance

OTHER WORDS FROM resonance

Words nearby resonance

Words related to resonance

How to use resonance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for resonance

Word Origin for resonance

Scientific definitions for resonance