modulate

verb

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mod·u·late | \ ˈmä-jə-ˌlāt

modulated; modulating

Definition of modulate

transitive verb

1 : to tune to a key or pitch

2 : to adjust to or keep in proper measure or proportion : temper

3 : to vary the amplitude, frequency, or phase of (a carrier wave or a light wave) for the transmission of information (as by radio) also : to vary the velocity of electrons in an electron beam

intransitive verb

1 : to play or sing with modulation

2 : to pass from one musical key into another by means of intermediary chords or notes that have some relation to both keys

3 : to pass gradually from one state to another

Other Words from modulate Example Sentences Learn More about modulate

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Other Words from modulate

modulator \ ˈmä-jə-ˌlā-tər

\ noun

modulatory \ ˈmä-jə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē

\ adjective

Examples of modulate in a Sentence

Because she doesn't modulate her voice, she sounds the same when she's excited as when she's sad. The music quickly modulates from its original key, changing the mood of the song.

Recent Examples on the Web In a 2011 study, the team engineered cells to respond to blue light by expressing a protein known to modulate blood glucose. — Simon Makin, Scientific American, "Using Light to Control Cells Holds Promise across the Body," 23 Apr. 2021 And of the 85 billion other non-neuronal cells in the brain, one major type of cell called astrocyte glial cells have the ability to both listen in and modulate neuronal signaling and information processing. — Gabriel A. Silva, Forbes, "What The Human Brain And Ants Have In Common," 19 Apr. 2021 This mimicry of the human body by machines could be a saving grace, especially in the face of an inability to modulate human interventions on life more generally. — Jamieson Webster, The New York Review of Books, "On Breathing," 2 Apr. 2021 Interferons, immune proteins that modulate the response of the immune system to viruses, are crucial for mounting an immune response. — USA Today, "What science has learned works and what doesn’t in COVID treatments," 14 Mar. 2021 Yet that mainstream platform hasn’t led her to change her style or modulate her message. — New York Times, "‘I Was Invisible’: The Maid-Turned-Star Who’s Taking On Racism in Brazil," 19 Feb. 2021 The trouble is that Lee will not modulate his antic music. — Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, "Chang-rae Lee Lets Loose in “My Year Abroad”," 8 Feb. 2021 In this version of the R, the seven-speed DSG gearbox offers Special and Drift modes to help modulate power to the wheels. — Eric Adams, Popular Mechanics, "The Most Anticipated Cars of 2021," 7 Dec. 2020 All this will help drivers keep control and better modulate power delivery while power-sliding around turns. — Eric Adams, Popular Mechanics, "The Most Anticipated Cars of 2021," 7 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'modulate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.