resonate
Americanverb (used without object)
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resonates,
present (3rd person singular)
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resonated,
past participle, past
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resonating
present participle
-
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)
-
resonates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
resonated,
past participle, past
-
resonating
present participle
verb
-
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
-
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:
But almost 20 years later, his ideas and legacy resonate strongly.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Chief Executive Bob Eddy said the company’s value proposition continues to resonate with members in its clubs and at its gas stations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
“We feel like those are the endorsements that resonate with voters here,” Gaspar told a group of voters at a recent campaign event.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
Nyathi is now finishing the first draft of a historical novel which she has been working on for the past two years - she says the themes will resonate with many people.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Just as Edward could feel Lucy’s whimpers and growls resonate through his body at night, he could also feel the deep, sad sound of Bull’s songs move through him.
From "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo
Venegas has found that his experience as a Mexican American who didn’t grow up speaking Spanish resonates with some people.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
"I think this one really hits home. We are seeing the world heat up so, yeah, it really resonates in today's world," he told Lucy Owen on BBC Radio Wales.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
This boundary-crossing may help explain why the phenomenon resonates so strongly at this cultural moment.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
"The way younger generations engage with religion is changing... We've tried to meet them where they are and communicate in a way that resonates with them."
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
Bibi’s voice resonates: “To know yourself, you need to journey, Adaugo. Remember what’s forgotten.”
From "Paradise on Fire" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
For Cash App, the move into Tags was an opportunity to double down on the customizability that already resonated with cardholders.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
After Spooner made his documentary, he realized how much the film resonated with Black punks who yearned for community and acceptance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Her original story resonated with older job seekers, who shared their own experiences.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
She said the case resonated because people felt like they were "reliving the grief with the family".
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
She had no mythology that resonated beyond the hero origin story.
From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart
“But hey, whatever’s resonating, whatever brings a little bit of joy. Whatever brings a little bit of that stick it to ’em,” she said, doing the thing.
From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026
T-Mobile’s value proposition is resonating with customers, said Chief Executive Srini Gopalan, adding that the company sees further growth ahead in both wireless and broadband as it continues to invest in its network and technology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
His message -- like Hilton's in the gubernatoral -- is public safety and tough-on-crime, and is resonating, even with some traditional Democrats.
From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026
But this is something that is resonating nationally because Pratt has that celebrity factor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
Termites make percussive sounds to each other by beating their heads against the floor in the dark, resonating corridors of their nests.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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.
