UNDULATING Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

undulating 1 of 2

adjective

as in undulant

rising and falling in a wavelike pattern The undulating terrain was difficult to traverse on foot.

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Dissimilar Words

undulating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of undulate

as in fluctuating

formal to move or be shaped like waves undulating hills an undulating surface

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of undulating

Verb

Sleek and extravagant, Rosewood Abu Dhabi provides a dramatic welcome, with architecture that calls to mind an undulating desert. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 At first, there was almost nothing onstage — no drums, just microphone stands on an undulating platform surrounding the venue’s Snake Pit. — Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026 Suburbs stretch their undulating freeways into the grid, sucking out nutrients (and cutting through neighborhoods). — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 Real manta rays propel themselves by rhythmically flapping and undulating their enormous pectoral fins. — New Atlas, 8 Sep. 2026 The pinkish squid glided two miles beneath the surface, its long, pale legs trailing from undulating fins, stunning scientists who know remarkably little about its diet, behavior or reproduction. — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026 An avant-garde pick, the Olivera floor lamp from Lulu and Georgia boasts an undulating wicker frame. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026 Vietnam Nestled in Vietnam’s northern mountains, Sapa dazzles with emerald rice paddies dotted across undulating green hills. — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026 An undulating white ceiling appears to float above bookshelves, reading areas and living trees. — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for undulating

Adjective

But in his own drawing, De Kooning let rip with liner brushes, swishing them about all over the paper, achieving undulant lines that contract and expand like living creatures.

— Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2026
Our drills included hours of seamlessly merging poetry with three chords, providing me with an undulant field to riff on.

— Patti Smith, New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2025

Definition of undulant

Verb

Gray noise, per The New York Times, may sound like wind blowing or steady rainfall and works for apartment dwellers sensitive to sharp or fluctuating noises.

— Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026
Their model links the ytterbium moments with the directionally fluctuating manganese spins.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of fluctuating

Adjective

For example, if the edge of a leaf grows faster than its center, this can lead to a curled or wavy shape—as with Lollo lettuce.

— Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026
In the guest bathroom, wavy blue-and-white tiles are contrasted with doodle-like sea-creature wallpaper, a terrazzo countertop, and a clear shower curtain patterned with a yellow grid.

— Tori Latham, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of wavy

Verb

The Super-Kamiokande experiment, an enormous 110 million-pound (50-kiloton) vessel of ultrapure water buried under a mountain in Japan, discovered in 1998 that neutrinos produced in the atmosphere were oscillating.

— Doug Cowen, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
How to Change the Grout in Your Shower Start your refresh by removing the old grout with grout removal tools like a grout saw or an oscillating tool equipped with a grout removal blade.

— Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of oscillating

Adjective

Set far inland, the rolling Samobor Hills are a different world entirely, said Mary Novakovich in The Guardian.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 11 Oct. 2026
To accommodate the taller stance and heavier rolling resistance of the knobby tires, engineers recalibrated the steering, anti-lock braking system and Dynamic Stability Control.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of rolling

Adjective

In addition, the distribution of that wealth is uneven as certain households own substantial property and investment portfolios while others don’t.

— Joshua Hong, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
Mud is a dynamic if uneven vehicle for Wolf, a vocalist with a showman’s need for climax.

— Enzo Escober, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of uneven

Verb

The Lithuanian Parliament moved to allow nuclear weapons on its soil, with a final vote to take place in January, as the Kremlin is already waving red flags over the move.

— Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 12 Oct. 2026
Defensive lineman Shelby Harris started waving both arms to indicate the game should be over.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of waving

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“Undulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undulating. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of undulating

adjective

verb

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