resonate

verb

res·​o·​nate ˈre-zə-ˌnāt 

resonated; resonating; resonates

intransitive verb

1

: to produce or exhibit resonance

especially : to produce a loud, clear, deep, and continuous sound

The siren resonated throughout the city.

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 have particular meaning or importance : to affect or appeal to someone in a personal or emotional way

a message that resonates with voters

Her stories of grit and hard work resonate in this part of the country.

—Molly Longman

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 of resonate

• 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

Both have distinct identities, extraordinary legacies and brands that have resonated with audiences for generations. — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026

Management also said completion rates on TikTok and YouTube were significantly above industry benchmarks, suggesting the content is resonating. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026

Both have distinct identities, extraordinary legacies, and brands that have resonated with audiences for generations. — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2026

The early connections esparza had with Asco resonated deeply in his relationship to art-making. — Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for resonate

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

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