1
as in fluctuating
to move back and forth in a rhythmic manner
When a guitar string is plucked, it oscillates to produce sound waves in the air.
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2
as in alternating
to continuously change from one belief, feeling, or condition to an opposite one
The model's hair color oscillates between bleach blond and jet black.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oscillating
Quadrupole ion traps use four electrode poles to generate oscillating electric fields that confine ions.
—
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2025
That such harmony could exist between an object-maker like Calder and an object-denier like Duchamp, who dreamed of an art made only of ideas, suggests that the engines of art are always oscillating.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Hotter objects give off more heat; their waves are more energetic, oscillating with a shorter wavelength.
—Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
However, memory stocks are typically highly cyclical, oscillating between boom and bust cycles.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
And Rihanna at 37 is the blueprint for modern sexy, oscillating between sheer gowns and oversized coats, all while pregnant, never allowing herself to be boxed in.
—Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 18 Aug. 2025
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2025
That such harmony could exist between an object-maker like Calder and an object-denier like Duchamp, who dreamed of an art made only of ideas, suggests that the engines of art are always oscillating.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Hotter objects give off more heat; their waves are more energetic, oscillating with a shorter wavelength.
—Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
However, memory stocks are typically highly cyclical, oscillating between boom and bust cycles.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
And Rihanna at 37 is the blueprint for modern sexy, oscillating between sheer gowns and oversized coats, all while pregnant, never allowing herself to be boxed in.
—Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oscillating
Verb
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That number decreased significantly the following day, to 909, and continued to drop before fluctuating between about 30 and 300 applications for the duration of the application period.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Oct. 2025
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Those payouts total almost $158 million, with the amount paid each year fluctuating — adding up to $19 million in 2020, for example, but reaching $36 million last year.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Her high school curriculum was organized as a co-op program, which included traditional classes alternating with internships in nursing.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Oct. 2025
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If they’re still tied after 15 minutes in the regular season, shift to the college-style alternating two-point conversion attempts until a winner is declared.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Shutdown hits when Dow is breaking records Overall, the economy has been rolling along.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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The economy has been quietly weathering recession-like conditions since sometime in 2022, Wilson has argued throughout, with a recession not being picked up by conventional measurements but rather rolling through different segments of the economy, one at a time.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Not even a month had passed since his big sister, Toraya, was shot and killed at an apartment complex in New Jersey, devastating the Reid family and shaking the Timberwolves organization to its core.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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In sixteenth-century Europe, just as Martin Luther’s ideas were shaking Catholic institutions, a far more radical movement for freedom rose up among peasants.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Taylor Swift‘s Life of a Showgirl special theatrical event is rocking at the domestic box office, where it’s headed for a first-place finish with a weekend haul of $28 million to $32 million from 3,702 theaters, according to estimates from Swift’s team and partner AMC Theatres.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Oct. 2025
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The clip finds Meg rocking camo pants, tan boots and a wool hat while dancing to the track in the studio.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oscillating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oscillating. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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