SINCE 1828
resonance
noun
res·o·nance
| \ ˈre-zə-nən(t)s
, ˈrez-nən(t)s\
, ˈrez-nən(t)s\
Definition of resonance
1a
: the quality or state of being resonant
b(1)
: a vibration of large amplitude in a mechanical or electrical system caused by a relatively small periodic stimulus of the same or nearly the same period as the natural vibration period of the system
(2)
: the state of adjustment that produces resonance in a mechanical or electrical system
2a
: the intensification and enriching of a musical tone by supplementary vibration
b
: a quality imparted to voiced sounds by vibration in anatomical resonating chambers or cavities (such as the mouth or the nasal cavity)
c
: a quality of richness or variety
d
: a quality of evoking response
how much resonance the scandal seems to be having — U.S. News & World Report
3
: the sound elicited on percussion of the chest
4
: the conceptual alternation of a chemical species (such as a molecule or ion) between two or more equivalent allowed structural representations differing only in the placement of electrons that aids in understanding the actual state of the species as an amalgamation of its possible structures and the usually higher-than-expected stability of the species
5a
: the enhancement of an atomic, nuclear, or particle reaction or a scattering event by excitation of internal motion in the system
6
: an extremely short-lived elementary particle
7
: a synchronous gravitational relationship of two celestial bodies (such as moons) that orbit a third (such as a planet) which can be expressed as a simple ratio of their orbital periods
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Examples of resonance in a Sentence
the resonance of the singer's voice
His story didn't have much resonance with the audience.
Recent Examples on the Web
Opening on Valentine’s Day in Sweden is a new film, Eld & Lågor (Swoon), that will have resonance for fashion folk even beyond the title. — Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, "Frida Gustavsson on Her New Act—The Lead Role in the Swedish Film Swoon," 14 Feb. 2019 All stainless steel sinks from IKEA are constructed with a sound-absorbing material to reduce resonance and limit noise when using them. — Jessica Dailey, Good Housekeeping, "Sinks," 11 Feb. 2019 What is perhaps most striking about Tate’s exhibition is the art’s modern-day resonance. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "Tate Britain Confronts the Aftershocks of World War I," 7 June 2018 Necks should upbow ever so slightly to produce resonance. — Henry Robertson, Popular Mechanics, "How to Set Up a Guitar And Make It Your Own," 7 Dec. 2018 Publicity for the show plays up the feminist angle — Antigone as a woman challenging the patriarchy — and the Afropunk inspiration of the staging, but in performance these are not the resonances that stand out. — Laura Collins-hughes, New York Times, "Review: ‘Antigone’ Asserts Whose Lives Matter, With Modern Relevance," 9 July 2018 As Rincon reports, the planets orbit in what is called a resonance chain. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Citizen Scientists Discover an Unusual Five-Planet Solar System," 15 Jan. 2018 That military dimension, and the bond between Europe and the United States, has a special resonance in nations like Poland and the Baltic states, which had long been under the thumb of Moscow before the collapse of the Soviet Union. — Raf Casert, The Seattle Times, "EU, US relations sinking further after divisive Trump tour," 17 July 2018 The spacecraft will revolve around the Earth every two weeks, in a 2:1 resonance with our planet’s natural satellite; for every orbit the moon makes, the spacecraft will complete two. — Amy Thompson, WIRED, "Watch SpaceX Loft NASA’s New Planet-Hunting Mission Into Orbit," 16 Apr. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'resonance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for resonance
resonance
noun
English Language Learners Definition of resonance
formal
: the quality of a sound that stays loud, clear, and deep for a long time
formal
: a quality that makes something personally meaningful or important to someone
technical
: a sound or vibration produced in one object that is caused by the sound or vibration produced in another
See the full definition for resonance in the English Language Learners Dictionary
resonance
noun
res·o·nance
| \ ˈre-zə-nəns
\
\
Kids Definition of resonance
: a long loud, clear, and deep quality of sound
resonance
noun
res·o·nance
| \ ˈrez-ᵊn-ən(t)s, ˈrez-nən(t)s
\
\
Medical Definition of resonance
1
: a quality imparted to voiced sounds by vibration in anatomical resonating chambers or cavities (as the mouth or the nasal cavity)
2
: the sound elicited on percussion of the chest
3
: the conceptual alternation of a chemical species (as a molecule or ion) between two or more equivalent allowed structural representations differing only in the placement of electrons that aids in understanding the actual state of the species as an amalgamation of its possible structures and the usually higher-than-expected stability of the species
4a
: the enhancement of an atomic, nuclear, or particle reaction or a scattering event by excitation of internal motion in the system
b
: magnetic resonance — see electron spin resonance
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Comments on resonance
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