undulate
Americanverb (used without object)
-
undulates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
undulated,
past participle, past
-
undulating
present participle
-
to move with a sinuous or wavelike motion; display a smooth rising-and-falling or side-to-side alternation of movement.
The flag undulates in the breeze.
-
to have a wavy form or surface; bend with successive curves in alternate directions.
-
(of a sound) to rise and fall in pitch.
the wail of a siren undulating in the distance.
verb (used with object)
-
undulates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
undulated,
past participle, past
-
undulating
present participle
-
to cause to move in waves.
-
to give a wavy form to.
adjective
verb
-
to move or cause to move in waves or as if in waves
-
to have or provide with a wavy form or appearance
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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undulatesimple
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undulatessimple
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have undulatedperfect
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has undulatedperfect
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am undulatingprogressive
-
are undulatingprogressive
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is undulatingprogressive
-
have been undulatingperfect progressive
-
has been undulatingperfect progressive
Past
-
undulatedsimple
-
had undulatedperfect
-
was undulatingprogressive
-
were undulatingprogressive
-
had been undulatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of undulate
First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin undulātus waved, equivalent to und(a) “wave” + -ul(a) -ule + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
Undulate means to move in a wave-like pattern. If a sound increases and decreases in pitch or volume like waves, you can say the sound is undulating. When searching for the lost boy, the rescuers' cries undulated through the forest. The verb undulate comes from the Latin word undula, which means "wavelet" (unda means "wave"). So any action shown with the verb undulate has that waving sense to it. If something moves in a wavy, pattern, for example, it is said to undulate. The wind might cause prairie grass to undulate, or music might cause hips to undulate.
Vocabulary lists containing undulate
To Kill a Mockingbird
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List 4
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The Pearl
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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 heavy concrete roof is actually suspended just above the walls, and seems to undulate, letting more light through in a thin opening above the altar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026
In the area with cold plunging and a sauna, the walls undulate with patterns that change color, designed to evoke arctic caves and volcanic rock.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026
Like I said before, most worms on planet Earth—well, those visible to the naked eye— have a lot of chambers and undulate, which isn’t very sandworm-ish.
From Slate ● Mar. 8, 2024
A helical structure on the underside of the sheet rotates like a corkscrew to cause the carpet to undulate and create a travelling wave on the water.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2023
There is only white smoke visible inside the box, and it continues to ripple and undulate against the glass.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Our measly four seasons are insufficient in describing the way nature undulates around us, week to week and month to month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025
Sit on the mattress’ edge and it wobbles and undulates.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2024
Much like the style itself, the popularity of ruffles undulates through the decades.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 4, 2022
He continues to live in the lab, where he still undulates, uninvited, onto the ramp, awaiting big squid.
From New York Times ● Jun. 22, 2021
The road to the latter place passes through a beautiful country, that gently undulates on either hand, till in the distance it rises into pleasant hills and green mountain-heights.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 20, No. 119, September, 1867 by Various
Smucker’s suit against Trader Joe’s alleges that the grocer infringed on trademarks by mimicking Uncrustables’ round, pie-like shape and “distinct peripheral undulated crimping.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2025
For stroke play, the undulated greens and pins tucked on crowns made it difficult in spots to find birdies.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 17, 2023
World No. 3 Minjee Lee said that taking her time will be a key on the blue course’s sloped fairways and undulated greens this week.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 22, 2022
As it has done since antiquity, the fragrant smoke undulated skyward, a thin thread seeking to unite us on earth with something above.
From Salon ● Apr. 30, 2022
Two thin ribbons of smoke undulated from his nostrils, and his lizard lips were curled in a sleepy grin.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
Built into the undulating terrain are brick homes, shingled cottages and a longstanding dive bar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
The world's best struggled to get to grips with the task presented by an undulating course with thick rough and sloping greens.
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
The 2026 gubernatorial contest has been an undulating, unpredictable whirlwind.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026
It was known that this all time great golfer was in a race to recover from a ruptured Achilles and two back surgeries in time to take on the undulating demands of Augusta National.
From BBC ● Mar. 28, 2026
Before the night shut down she was seen with sails idly flapping as she gently rolled on the undulating swell of the sea,
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
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.
