reverberate

American  

[ri-vur-buh-rayt, ri-vur-ber-it] / rɪˈvɜr bəˌreɪt, rɪˈvɜr bər ɪt /

verb (used without object)

• reverberates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• reverberated,
  past participle,  past
• reverberating
  present participle

1. 

   to reecho or resound.

   Her singing reverberated through the house.

   Synonyms:

   vibrate, rebound, ring, carry

2. Physics. to be reflected many times, as sound waves from the walls of a confined space.

3. to rebound or recoil.

4. to be deflected, as flame in a reverberatory furnace.

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verb (used with object)

• reverberates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• reverberated,
  past participle,  past
• reverberating
  present participle

1. to echo back or reecho (sound).

2. to cast back or reflect (light, heat, etc.).

3. to subject to reflected heat, as in a reverberatory furnace.

adjective

1. reverberant.

reverberate British  

/ rɪˈvɜːbəˌreɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to resound or re-echo

   the explosion reverberated through the castle

2. to reflect or be reflected many times

3. (intr) to rebound or recoil

4. (intr) (of the flame or heat in a reverberatory furnace) to be deflected onto the metal or ore on the hearth

5. (tr) to heat, melt, or refine (a metal or ore) in a reverberatory furnace

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• reverberation
  noun
• reverberator
  noun
• reverberant
  adjective
• reverberative
  adjective
• unreverberated
  adjective
• unreverberating
  adjective
• unreverberative
  adjective
• reverberantly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• reverberating
  present
• reverberated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• reverberate
  simple
• reverberates
  simple
• have reverberated
  perfect
• has reverberated
  perfect
• am reverberating
  progressive
• are reverberating
  progressive
• is reverberating
  progressive
• have been reverberating
  perfect progressive
• has been reverberating
  perfect progressive

Past

• reverberated
  simple
• had reverberated
  perfect
• was reverberating
  progressive
• were reverberating
  progressive
• had been reverberating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will reverberate
  simple
• will have reverberated
  perfect
• will be reverberating
  progressive
• will have been reverberating
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of reverberate

First recorded in 1540–50, reverberate is from the Latin word reverberātus (past participle of reverberāre to strike back). See reverberant, -ate ¹

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Explanation

If you give a loud shout in a cavernous place, like a gym or a church, the sound of your voice will reverberate throughout the room. Reverberate means sound waves traveling back and forth, as in an echo. Often we use reverberate to talk about sound, or sometimes light. If a noise echoes for a long time, we can say the space reverberates with that noise. You may have heard of a reverb effect in audio processing, which is basically a long echo. We also use the word metaphorically to describe the impact of huge events. For example, the 2008 mortgage crisis in the U.S. reverberated throughout the world’s economy, causing a global recession.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

reverberate reverberates reverberated reverberating

The effects of that spending will reverberate for years to come.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

The repercussions of this method still reverberate through Panettiere’s life today, with the actress musing: “I’ve often wondered whether—unintentionally—I’ve brought on my traumas because I’m wired to think they’re good for me.”

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026

“Even though this is a specific investigation in the city of Riverside, the consequences of this behavior by code enforcement reverberate throughout the state.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026

A rare occurrence likes this tends to get attention, as similar decisions from major central banks within a short period can reverberate into markets.

From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026

His voice seemed to reverberate, loud, unnatural; it sounded like his voice come over a loudspeaker.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

One can be thought of as “ripple-out” inflation, where a shock to an economically ubiquitous input — like energy — reverberates throughout other goods and sectors that depend upon it.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026

As a Haitian-American, Jeannoel said she understands firsthand how the legal battle around TPS alongside the political crisis in Haiti reverberates beyond recipients to their families.

From Salon ● Apr. 30, 2026

The noisy chaos of the overcrowded Congolese capital reverberates behind the walls of the hotel.

From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026

Among the rank-and-file, the fight now reverberates in church pews and parking lots, and in America’s Catholic neighborhoods from Pittsburgh to Boston to Miami.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

The bridge shakes from her impact, and the sound reverberates across the virtual space.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

From the moment Messi quit his country, shockwaves reverberated around Argentina.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

That decision reverberated throughout the world soccer community as the moment Infantino went too far.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

When it was over, the sound of children shrieking “Puka!” reverberated off the bleachers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

That has reverberated through the economy to those like the tailor, Ghafoori.

From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026

Sierra’s voice reverberated down alleyways and out toward the sea.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

"Cumulatively not engaging in health-promotion behaviors in the postpartum period has reverberating implications for the family unit, too," Yee said.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

O’Regan further pointed out that weakness in the Korean chip sector could be reverberating across the sector on Friday.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

British singer-songwriter James Blake offered a change of pace over at the New Music stage during the evening, where his silky voice could be heard reverberating through the tent.

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

Changes in how we work are reverberating around the world, sparking debate from Asia to Europe to the United States.

From Barron's ● May 21, 2026

I hear his door slam shut behind me, loud and reverberating all around the hallway.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott

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Related Words

• echo
• resound

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