reverberate

verb

re·ver·ber·ate | \ ri-ˈvər-bə-ˌrāt

reverberated; reverberating

Definition of reverberate

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : reflect

2 : repel

3 : echo

intransitive verb

1a : to become driven back

b : to become reflected

2 : to continue in or as if in a series of echoes : resound a historic event that still reverberates today

reverberate

adjective

re·ver·ber·ate | \ ri-ˈvər-b(ə-)rət

Definition of reverberate (Entry 2 of 2)

: reverberant

Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about reverberate

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Synonyms for reverberate

Synonyms: Verb

echo, reecho, resonate, resound, sound

Did You Know?

Verb

The letter sequence "v-e-r-b" in reverberate might make you think at first of such word-related brethren as proverb, verbal, and verbose, all of which derive from the Latin noun verbum, meaning "word." In fact, reverberate comes from a much different source: the Latin verb verberare, meaning "to whip, beat, or lash," which is related to the noun verber, meaning "rod." Reverberate entered the English language in the 15th century, and one of its early meanings was "to beat, drive, or cast back." By the early 1600s it began to appear in contexts associated with sound that repeats or returns the way an echo does.

Examples of reverberate in a Sentence

Verb

the sound of thunder reverberated from one end of the mountain pass to the other

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Russia's first two wins, against Saudi Arabia and Egypt, seemed to genuinely shock the nation: Downtown Moscow reverberated with all-night street parties. — Amie Ferris-rotman, Washington Post, "For the World Cup, the Russian people are all in, win or lose," 25 June 2018 Image Bobbie Louise Hawkins, a prodigious Beat Generation poet and novelist whose work reverberated with her hardscrabble Texas childhood and her belated liberation from an overbearing husband, died on May 4 at her home in Boulder, Colo. — Sam Roberts, New York Times, "Bobbie Louise Hawkins, Beat Poet and Author, Dies at 87," 18 May 2018 Its squawk echoes an ancient call that has reverberated through this land for thousands of years. — National Geographic, "This Is What One of the Last Great Migrations Looks Like," 17 Apr. 2018 Her painful admission reverberated around the world, especially for women who had experienced similar heartbreak. — Vogue, "5 of Beyoncé’s Most Powerful Motherhood Moments," 14 Aug. 2018 Rumors of another vacancy have reverberated across Washington for months; the decision comes a year after Kennedy's former law clerk Neil Gorsuch took over the seat occupied by the late Justice Antonin Scalia. — Shannon Bream, Fox News, "Justice Anthony Kennedy announces retirement, giving Trump 2nd Supreme Court pick," 27 June 2018 Prosecutor Brian Boyle told jurors in opening statements that Hamilton's actions reverberated beyond the Hamilton and Guindon families. — Matthew Barakat, Fox News, "Jury hears opening statements in police officer's death," 12 Sep. 2018 Ecuadorian scientists who were monitoring its activity picked up a corresponding infrasonic signal on their instruments that reverberated for 90 seconds, oscillating back and forth in frequency as its intensity gradually faded into the background. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Scientists look to music of volcanos to better monitor eruptions," 24 Aug. 2018 And that had a pretty transformational impact that reverberated for a long time. — National Geographic, "The Extraordinary Ways Weather Has Changed Human History," 30 May 2018

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