undulate

1 of 2

adjective

un·​du·​late ˈən-jə-lət How to pronounce undulate (audio) ˈən-dyə- How to pronounce undulate (audio)
ˈən-də-,
-ˌlāt How to pronounce undulate (audio)
variants or undulated
ˈən-jə-ˌlā-təd How to pronounce undulate (audio)
ˈən-dyə-,
ˈən-də-
: having a wavy surface, edge, or markings
the undulate margin of a leaf

undulate

2 of 2

verb

un·​du·​late ˈən-jə-ˌlāt How to pronounce undulate (audio)
ˈən-dyə-,
ˈən-də-
undulated; undulating

intransitive verb

1
: to form or move in waves : fluctuate
2
: to rise and fall in volume, pitch, or cadence
3
: to present a wavy appearance

transitive verb

: to cause to move in a wavy, sinuous, or flowing manner

Did you know?

Make Waves With the History of Undulate

Undulate and inundate (“to cover something with a flood of water”) are word cousins that flow from unda, the Latin word for “wave.” No surprise there. But would you have guessed that abound, surround, and redound are also unda offspring? While their modern definitions have nothing to do with waves or water, at some point in their early histories, they all meant “to overflow,” and caught a wave from there.

Choose the Right Synonym for undulate

swing, sway, oscillate, vibrate, fluctuate, waver, undulate mean to move from one direction to its opposite.

swing implies a movement of something attached at one end or one side.

the door suddenly swung open

sway implies a slow swinging or teetering movement.

trees swaying in the breeze

oscillate stresses a usually regular alternation of direction.

an oscillating fan

vibrate suggests the rapid oscillation of an elastic body under stress or impact.

the vibrating strings of a piano

fluctuate suggests constant irregular changes of level, intensity, or value.

fluctuating interest rates

waver stresses irregular motion suggestive of reeling or tottering.

the exhausted runner wavered before collapsing

undulate suggests a gentle wavelike motion.

an undulating sea of grass

Examples of undulate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Consider a morning stroll along Mendocino Trail, which undulates along the continent’s edge for miles, delivering a symphonic show of rolling waves and squawking sea birds, who sing their wild tunes from the top of dramatic rock formations. Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2025 Pull them back, and an undulating wall of textural sound will come to greet you. Liam Hess, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025 The technique could also be seen via the hand-cut silk wool cascading petal embroideries that undulated down her new Octavia and Adeline gowns. Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 9 Apr. 2025 The bright and modern-tropical aesthetic continues outdoors to its sculpture garden that unfolds in rounded, undulating curves of palms and jasmine. Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for undulate

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin undulatus, from *undula, diminutive of unda wave — more at water

Verb

Late Latin undula small wave, from Latin *undula

First Known Use

Adjective

1658, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1664, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of undulate was in 1658

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Cite this Entry

“Undulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undulate. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

undulate

verb
un·​du·​late
ˈən-jə-ˌlāt,
ˈən-d(y)ə-
undulated; undulating
1
: to form or move in waves : fluctuate
2
: to rise and fall in volume, pitch, or rhythm
3
: to present a wavy appearance
Etymology

Verb

from Latin undula "small wave," derived from earlier unda "wave"

Medical Definition

undulate

adjective
: having a wavy surface, edge, or markings
an undulate cell

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