Synonyms

reverberate

American

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

verb (used without object)

to reecho or resound.

Her singing reverberated through the house.

Synonyms:

vibrate, rebound, ring, carry
Physics. to be reflected many times, as sound waves from the walls of a confined space.
to rebound or recoil.
to be deflected, as flame in a reverberatory furnace.

verb (used with object)

to echo back or reecho (sound).
to cast back or reflect (light, heat, etc.).
to subject to reflected heat, as in a reverberatory furnace.

adjective

reverberant.

reverberate British

/ rɪˈvɜːbəˌreɪt /

verb

(intr) to resound or re-echo

the explosion reverberated through the castle
to reflect or be reflected many times
(intr) to rebound or recoil
(intr) (of the flame or heat in a reverberatory furnace) to be deflected onto the metal or ore on the hearth
(tr) to heat, melt, or refine (a metal or ore) in a reverberatory furnace

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

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

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing reverberate

Grade 9, List 2

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!

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

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!

The Diary of Anne Frank

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.

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

Last night's by-elections will reverberate around Westminster for a long time.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 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

The 1980s hits of Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and others still reverberate in bowling alleys, grocery stores and pubs across America.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

The echo seemed to reverberate through the vessel for a solid minute.

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023