as in undulant
rising and falling in a wavelike pattern
The undulating terrain was difficult to traverse on foot.
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as in fluctuating
formal
to move or be shaped like waves
undulating hills an undulating surface
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Recent Examples of undulating
Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026
Suddenly, the undulating fields are sparkling in the moist air, redolent with the incongruous scents of peat and political oppression.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
The Crown alum made a glittering entrance in a black gown complete with an undulating three-dimensional element.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 22 May 2026
Far below the most abstract undulating curved frozen shapes where the weight of the sea ice has forged the shoreline into a white sculpture park.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 May 2026
With favorites falling to the wayside all over the undulating greens at Aronimink Golf Club, the ever-unflappable Scheffler sits atop the leaderboard after the opening day’s golf in Philadelphia.
—Thomas Schlachter, CNN Money, 15 May 2026
The undulating landscape lends itself to scenic horseback riding with outfits like Na’alapa Stables, which carries on the tradition of the paniolo cowboys who have herded cattle in the grassy highlands since the late 1800s.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
SeaWorld’s sister park in Orlando, Florida, already hosts a nighttime drone show that features undulating manta rays, paddling sea turtles and hovering octopuses.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
By the ‘80s, the garden was gone, replaced by a pavilion by Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer — a postmodern Mesopotamian gate with glass blocks and undulating turquoise handrails.
—Bloomberg, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
Puglia’s Adriatic coast is dramatic, especially between Polignano a Mare and Monopoli, where clear waters lap undulating cliffs and flow into the occasional sea cave.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026
Suddenly, the undulating fields are sparkling in the moist air, redolent with the incongruous scents of peat and political oppression.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
The Crown alum made a glittering entrance in a black gown complete with an undulating three-dimensional element.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 22 May 2026
Far below the most abstract undulating curved frozen shapes where the weight of the sea ice has forged the shoreline into a white sculpture park.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 May 2026
With favorites falling to the wayside all over the undulating greens at Aronimink Golf Club, the ever-unflappable Scheffler sits atop the leaderboard after the opening day’s golf in Philadelphia.
—Thomas Schlachter, CNN Money, 15 May 2026
The undulating landscape lends itself to scenic horseback riding with outfits like Na’alapa Stables, which carries on the tradition of the paniolo cowboys who have herded cattle in the grassy highlands since the late 1800s.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
SeaWorld’s sister park in Orlando, Florida, already hosts a nighttime drone show that features undulating manta rays, paddling sea turtles and hovering octopuses.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
By the ‘80s, the garden was gone, replaced by a pavilion by Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer — a postmodern Mesopotamian gate with glass blocks and undulating turquoise handrails.
—Bloomberg, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undulating
Adjective
-
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
-
As the undulant hills beyond the valley turned blue in front of me, a cat sauntered onto the veranda and wound its tail around my ankles.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In practice, the real-world results are maddeningly inconsistent, with fuel savings fluctuating wildly between 2 percent and 25 percent.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 2026
-
Evaluating downside risk is essential in fluctuating environments.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The device is based on oscillating water column technology, which transforms wave motion into electricity by means of a turbine.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
-
The sphere at the top of the node bobs in the water, with the attached tube oscillating water within it, spinning turbines inside the structure that generate electricity.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
The blocking pattern will allow for a very warm, humid, and unstable airmass south of a wavy frontal boundary that will keep much of the South and Southeast active with daily rain and thunderstorm chances into early June, the Weather Prediction Center said.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
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This mani looks straight out of the deep end, with a wavy, tile-like pattern and a gradation of blues.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Video showed the Israeli flag fluttering from atop the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle while black smoke billowed from the nearby town of Arnoun.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
31 May 2026
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Anderson said the warmth helps calm them down stops their eyes from fluttering.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Beaufort fortress, perched high atop Lebanon’s rolling green hills and overlooking the Litani River, has been a strategic military asset for centuries.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 May 2026
-
Fenix hit a rolling cutter for a nearfall.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Or maybe the big beach at Laguna after waving to The Greeter, with an hour during the late afternoon to browse the Pottery Shack with Mom.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
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Her mother, Tamara Reed-Holman — who qualified for state in four events for Decatur McArthur in 1990 and ran for Illinois State — was in the crowd at O’Brien Field in Charleston waving back.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Drafty rooms, open windows, ceiling fans, and uneven surfaces can disrupt the flame, causing uneven melting, excessive soot, or wax that burns faster on one side than the other.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
-
This noncomodegenic and fragrance-free serum foundation helps smooth redness and uneven skin texture.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Undulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undulating. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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