vibrate

verb

vi·​brate ˈvī-ˌbrāt 

especially British vī-ˈbrāt

vibrated; vibrating

transitive verb

1

: to swing or move to and fro

2

: to emit with or as if with a vibratory motion

3

: to mark or measure by oscillation

a pendulum vibrating seconds

4

: to set in vibration

intransitive verb

1

a

: to move to and fro or from side to side : oscillate

b

: fluctuate, vacillate

vibrate between two choices

2

: to have an effect as or as if of vibration

Music, when soft voices die, vibrates in the memory …

—Percy Bysshe Shelley

3

: to be in a state of vibration : quiver

4

: to respond sympathetically : thrill

vibrate to the opportunity

Synonyms of vibrate

• shake
• jerk
• shudder
• quiver
• tremble

Choose the Right Synonym for vibrate

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 vibrate in a Sentence

The car started to vibrate.

When you blow into the instrument, the air vibrates the reed.

Recent Examples on the Web

Let the tip of the vibrating toothbrush touch the base of the flower for a few seconds. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 June 2026

Nevertheless, Bonnie’s doting parents hope that Lilypad will help Bonnie make friends, oblivious to how the gizmo — and soon, their daughter — vibrates with anxiety. —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026

Ever see a musician extracting freaky beats from a drum of vibrating milk while surrounded by thousands of funerary urns? —John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 17 June 2026

Whenever one rings, the very air seems to vibrate, as if a shock wave has passed through the house. —Literary Hub, 16 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin vibratus, past participle of vibrare to brandish, wave, rock — more at wipe

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

vibrate

verb

vi·​brate ˈvī-ˌbrāt 

vibrated; vibrating

: to move or cause to move back and forth or from side to side rapidly so as to produce a quivering effect or sound

guitar strings vibrate when plucked