resonate

verb

res·​o·​nate ˈre-zə-ˌnāt 

resonated; resonating; resonates

intransitive verb

1

: to produce or exhibit resonance

A person’s voice … is made by sound resonating in the mouth and nose …

—Ken Carlson

2

: to respond as if by resonance

resonate to the music

also : to have a repetitive pattern that resembles resonance

3

: to affect or appeal to someone in a personal or emotional way

a message that resonates with voters

transitive verb

: to subject to resonating

Did you know?

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”).

Synonyms

• echo
• reverberate

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

Elio’s failure to resonate with audiences likely won’t help matters. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025

But the track quickly resonated with fans, becoming his first entry on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and the Billboard Hot 100 — and soon, the 23-year-old’s perspective changed. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 15 July 2025

This streamlines workload by generating multiple versions of core messages tailored to different groups (executives versus front-line employees versus international teams) while analyzing past engagement data to optimize content that resonates best with each audience. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

Ming Thein’s world of minimalism is characterized by a signature case with flared lugs and a distinctive aesthetic that resonates with discerning collectors. —Thor Svaboe, Robb Report, 14 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for resonate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

resonate

verb

res·​o·​nate ˈrez-ᵊn-ˌāt 

resonated; resonating

1

: to produce or exhibit resonance

2

a

: to respond as if by resonance

resonate to the music

b

: to strike a chord

a message that resonates with voters