Definition of RESONATE

Resonate vs. Reverberate

Resonate and reverberate each have at least one meaning that is concerned with sound, and they carry a degree of overlap in their definitions. However, there are some subtle differences between them that are worth observing. Resonate typically suggests that a single lasting sound is produced; reverberate, on the other hand, indicates that an initial sound is followed by a series of echoes. In terms of the contexts in which they are used, resonate often involves a person (“that passage of the book resonated with many young readers”); reverberate, on the other hand, is more likely to be used of a thing, such as the aftermath of some major event (“the shock caused by the assassination reverberated across Europe”).

Examples of resonate in a Sentence

The siren resonated throughout the city. the deep sounds of the bassoon resonated through the concert hall

Recent Examples on the Web

Now in their third season of the hit series, Metz, Moore and Watson have tackled a wide range of complex issues that deeply resonate with female viewers today. — Jennifer Lance, Glamour, "Meet Our November Cover Stars: The Women of This Is Us," 9 Oct. 2018 And here is where Sukkot particularly resonates today. — Eliora Katz, WSJ, "The Sunshine of the Vanities," 27 Sep. 2018 The pose of her holding a baby aloft resonates with Commissioner Gloria Battle, whom Knowles delivered, as well as her mother and four other siblings. — Anne Geggis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Once forgotten, 'Old Colored Cemetery' turns into a place of honor," 23 June 2018 But Los Invasores’ tribute to kids caught up in the politics of immigration resonates today in the photos of children separated from their families by the U.S. government and held alone in camps that are circulating around the world. — Judy Cantor-navas, Billboard, "Los Invasores de Nuevo León's 'El Niño Migrante' Resonates With Current Border Crisis: Watch," 20 June 2018 Multimedia artist Bouchra Khalili examines how that utopian moment resonates today. — BostonGlobe.com, "The Ticket: What’s happening in the local arts world," 23 Mar. 2018 Level 1: Gamify The power of gamification resonates with James Tanaka, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Victoria in Canada. — Sarah Deweerdt, Science | AAAS, "Can science-based video games help kids with autism?," 22 June 2018 That's a theme that should resonate with this gathering, said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston. — Anna M. Tinsley, star-telegram, "Donald Trump or Beto O'Rourke: Who will motivate Texas Democrats more?," 18 June 2018 The issue of the play resonates not only with Weitzman, who is Jewish and has a non-Jewish wife but also with Garle, who is Christian and is engaged to a Jew. — Marvin Glassman, Jewish Journal, "Play takes a lighter look at the bris ceremony," 14 June 2018

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