1
as in fluctuation
the frequent and usually sudden passing from one condition to another fickle springtime weather in which there seemed to be an unceasing oscillation between unseasonable heat and unseasonable cold

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2
as in vibration
a series of slight movements by a body back and forth or from side to side the precise oscillations of the quartz crystal that allows a quartz watch to keep such accurate time

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of oscillation Those ripples, or bubbles, are known as baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO). Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 19 Mar. 2025 The rapid oscillations allow for more precise timekeeping, as the watch can divide time into smaller increments. Bhanu Chopra, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025 Another team invented a molecule that can boost electrical oscillations in the brain, improving memory and cognition in mice that were modified to have Alzheimer's. New Atlas, 15 Feb. 2025 And its wavelength is the distance between those oscillations in space. Michael J. Murdoch, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for oscillation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oscillation
Noun
  • While last week's stock market selloff took its toll on the fortune of the world's richest, one man has been largely able to weather the fluctuations brought on by the Trump administration's trade policies.
    John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
  • But by translating these fluctuations in brightness into fluctuations in acoustic frequencies, scientists can tune in to a star’s sound, learning important information about its age and its other traits.
    Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • These two factors may well cancel out, Dan Russell, a physicist at Penn State who studies baseball-bat vibrations, told me.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
  • This technology uses a thin membrane in a magnetic field to create sonic vibrations.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Of course, not every change should be about trimming.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Mass layoffs begin at HHS, some employees turned away after showing up to work Across the CDC, FDA and the National Institute of Health, three of the main public health arms of HHS, there have not been significant changes to the cuts that hit around 10,000 employees last week.
    Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Oscillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oscillation. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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