reverberate

1 of 2

verb

re·​ver·​ber·​ate ri-ˈvər-bə-ˌrāt How to pronounce reverberate (audio)
reverberated; reverberating

intransitive verb

1
a
: to become driven back
b
: to become reflected
2
: to continue in or as if in a series of echoes : resound
a historic event that still reverberates today

reverberate

2 of 2

adjective

re·​ver·​ber·​ate ri-ˈvər-b(ə-)rət How to pronounce reverberate (audio)

Did you know?

The letter sequence "v-e-r-b" in reverberate might make you think at first of such word-related brethren as proverb, verbal, and verbose, all of which derive from the Latin noun verbum, meaning "word." In fact, reverberate comes from a much different source: the Latin verb verberare, meaning "to whip, beat, or lash," which is related to the noun verber, meaning "rod." Reverberate entered the English language in the 15th century, and one of its early meanings was "to beat, drive, or cast back." By the early 1600s, it began to appear in contexts associated with sound that repeats or returns the way an echo does.

Examples of reverberate in a Sentence

Verb the sound of thunder reverberated from one end of the mountain pass to the other
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Trump is likely to appear on the ballots, after oral arguments from the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this month suggested the justices don't agree that single states should be allowed to make decisions about candidates’ eligibility that would reverberate nationwide. Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Venezuela’s ordeal reverberates in the author’s argumentative family: its members’ painful dependencies, moral shortcomings, and monetary mismanagement reflect their country’s breakdowns. Paula Ramón, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 This is something that Chavarria subverted to reverberating effect. Vogue Runway, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2024 The slumbering dragon awakened to the delight of hundreds as firecrackers exploded, cymbals clashed, and the percussive beat of drums reverberated throughout San Francisco’s Portsmouth Square. Ella Polak, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2024 The four guilty verdicts reverberated across the country, with opinions varying wildly. Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 7 Feb. 2024 Scientists uncover mystery behind whale song Eerie and fascinating, whale songs are one of the most mysterious sounds reverberating through the ocean. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 23 Feb. 2024 The song’s message, pushing back against the narrative and that sense of personal female rage, would reverberate through country music. Lyz Lenz, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2024 Donald Trump has made some news that is reverberating around the world. Howard Kurtz, Fox News, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reverberate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin reverberatus, past participle of reverberare, from re- + verberare to lash, from verber rod — more at vervain

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1603, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reverberate was in the 15th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near reverberate

Cite this Entry

“Reverberate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reverberate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reverberate

verb
re·​ver·​ber·​ate
ri-ˈvər-bə-ˌrāt
reverberated; reverberating
: to continue in or as if in a series of echoes
reverberation
-ˌvər-bə-ˈrā-shən
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on reverberate

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