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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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
An undulating white ceiling appears to float above bookshelves, reading areas and living trees. — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 The undulating synth lead seems tailored to mimic the tone and timbre of a classical Indian singer, a comparison borne out by the occasional flashes of vocal sample peeking through the mix. — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 18 July 2026 With dramatic elevation changes, undulating greens, and ocean breezes, many holes present an enjoyable challenge along with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2026 In terms of beauty, Zendaya has swapped out her bixie—for now—and worn her XXL hair in undulating waves and twisted crown-like braids. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 July 2026 These waves can cause undulating cloud patterns, as well as turbulence. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 July 2026 During the Knicks’ victory parade, the undulating downtown crowd looked, from afar, not unlike a school of tropical clown fish. — Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 3 July 2026 The mountains, undulating pasture and forest that surround Lanserhof Lans are a potent medicine in themselves. — Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026 Replacing the dots used on previous colorways, undulating lines run run 360 degrees across the sneaker in silver above a black mesh base, and the motif repeats again on the tongue. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undulating
  1. undulant
  2. fluctuating
  3. wavy
  4. oscillating
  5. rolling
  6. fluttering
  7. uneven
  8. waving
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
Definition of undulant
Verb
  • His fluctuating weight, ruddy cheeks and occasionally ill-fitting attire — commenters on social media rarely needed an excuse to zero in on him.
    — Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Weather, labor shortages, fluctuating commodity prices and rising input costs have long shaped the economics of agriculture.
    — Peter High, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of fluctuating
Adjective
  • White embroidery curved across the shoulders, while rows of wavy trim followed the skirt’s seams.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 23 July 2026
  • Since the cousins share the same curly, wavy hair texture, Gamboa picked up curling cream designed for their hair type and walked Medina through how to use it, from styling techniques to everyday hair care.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
Definition of wavy
Verb
  • Maybe even worse in the upper setting, which had my head oscillating like a bobblehead on a Baja trophy truck.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 July 2026
  • Each cluster contained a simple RLC resonator — a resistor, capacitor, and inductor, a combination that creates an oscillating electrical signal at a particular frequency.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 15 July 2026
Definition of oscillating
Adjective
  • The result is that nighttime driving increasingly feels less like navigating through darkness and more like surviving a rolling photonics demonstration from the consumer electronics industry.
    — Matthew MacConnell, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Early voting locations will be posted on a rolling basis on the state’s Early Voting Locations page.
    — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of rolling
Verb
  • The sky was alive with millions of fluttering shapes, congregating into clouds at random, occasionally turning into ribbons that wound through the trees.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
  • Both are excellent as women emerging from a pupa of damage and tentatively fluttering their wings.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026
Definition of fluttering
Adjective
  • Mynatt says that tamping too lightly, unevenly, or inconsistently leads to uneven water flow (called channeling).
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2026
  • That was to avoid both leagues having 15 apiece and with uneven teams every day on the schedule having one team idle.
    — Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of uneven
Verb
  • With 50 games to go after the deadline, the Tigers insist that trading one of the best pitchers on the planet plus another key part of their top-notch rotation does not constitute waving the white flag.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Fully selling would be waving the white flag and setting up way too much work in the winter.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of waving

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Cite this Entry

“Undulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undulating. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on undulating

Nglish: Translation of undulating for Spanish Speakers

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