oscillation
noun
os·cil·la·tion
ˌä-sə-ˈlā-shən 
1
: the action or state of oscillating
… stays can be effectively used to prevent oscillations in new bridges …—
D. B. Steinman
D. B. Steinman2
: variation, fluctuation
… famines due to excessive storminess and violent oscillations of rain and drought, heat and cold.—Ellsworth Huntington
Ellsworth Huntington3
: a flow of electricity changing periodically from a maximum to a minimum
especially
: a flow periodically changing direction
4
: a single swing (as of an oscillating body) from one extreme limit to the other
Each oscillation of the pendulum represents one second.
Examples of oscillation in a Sentence
the continued oscillation of the fan
There has been oscillation between optimism and pessimism among voters.
Recent Examples on the Web
Still others use the sun’s oscillations (essentially hot liquid earthquakes) to get a secondhand glance at its interior.
—Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 10 Dec. 2025
In oscillation, engineers focused on a single performance goal.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2025
Because the experiments operate at different distances and energies, each captures complementary features of neutrino oscillations.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 Dec. 2025
This is a wine-glass shaped hemisphere of quartz that resonates, producing a standing wave oscillation.
—New Atlas, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oscillation
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Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 10 Dec. 2025
In oscillation, engineers focused on a single performance goal.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2025
Because the experiments operate at different distances and energies, each captures complementary features of neutrino oscillations.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 Dec. 2025
This is a wine-glass shaped hemisphere of quartz that resonates, producing a standing wave oscillation.
—New Atlas, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oscillation
Cite this Entry
“Oscillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oscillation. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
oscillation
noun
os·cil·la·tion
ˌäs-ə-ˈlā-shən
1
: the action or state of oscillating : vibration
3
: a single swing (as of an oscillating body) from one extreme limit to the other
Medical Definition
oscillation
noun
os·cil·la·tion
ˌäs-ə-ˈlā-shən
1
: the action or state of oscillating
2
: a flow of electricity changing periodically from a maximum to a minimum
especially
: a flow periodically changing direction
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