resonance
noun
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
Keep scrolling for more
Examples of resonance in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The message could have particular resonance for Woodhull’s patients and visitors. — Charles Passy, WSJ, "Keith Haring Mural Is on the Mend at Brooklyn Hospital," 25 Oct. 2018 At the time, Mr. Allen said that having his name on the computer-science school had a particular emotional resonance for him because of his connection to the university. — Rachel Lerman, The Seattle Times, "Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder and Seahawks owner, dies at 65," 16 Oct. 2018 The episode has deep personal resonance for Shaw, whose own mother suffered from dementia. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "The slow-burn psychological horror of Castle Rock makes for must-see TV," 4 Sep. 2018 His message appears to have some resonance with voters, with polling data showing O’Rourke within striking distance of Cruz. — Casey Stegall, Fox News, "Cruz-O'Rourke Senate race may hold insight on future politics of Texas," 15 Aug. 2018 Similar moments of mutual tenderness show up throughout the Carters’ work, suggesting a personal resonance for the duo. — Taylor Hosking, The Atlantic, "Beyonce and Jay-Z’s New Vision of Gender in ‘Apeshit’," 22 June 2018 But this collective rise in decibellevel has provided a resonance for women’s narratives. — Krystin Arneson, Glamour, "Monica Lewinsky Reckons With #MeToo in Powerful New Essay: ‘I'm Not Alone Anymore’," 26 Feb. 2018 But this collective rise in decibel level has provided a resonance for women’s narratives. — Sarah Spellings, The Cut, "Monica Lewinsky Has Her #MeToo Moment in New Essay," 26 Feb. 2018 The issue has special resonance for Trump, who has questioned why the Obama administration may have revealed the identities of Trump campaign figures who interacted with foreign officials. — Ken Dilanian, NBC News, "Trump throws FISA reauthorization into confusion with conflicting statements," 11 Jan. 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.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for resonance
resonance
noun
English Language Learners Definition of resonance
: the quality of a sound that stays loud, clear, and deep for a long time
: a quality that makes something personally meaningful or important to someone
: 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
\
Kids Definition of resonance
: a long loud, clear, and deep quality of sound
resonance
noun
\
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
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on resonance
What made you want to look up resonance? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Late Autumn 2018 Words of the Day Quiz
-
- Which is a synonym of yahoo?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share resonance
Resources for resonance