Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

vibrate

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of vibrate

to make a series of small irregular or violent movements

  • the glasses and knickknacks on the shelves vibrated during the slight earthquake
Synonyms of vibrate

agitate, bucket, convulse, jerk, jiggle, joggle, jolt, jounce, judder [chiefly British], quake, quiver, shake, shudder, wobble (also wabble)
Words Related to vibrate

rock, sway, swing

chatter, quaver, shiver, thrill, tremble

twitch

dodder, waver

flicker, fluctuate, flutter, oscillate, undulate, wave

beat, palpitate, pit-a-pat, pitter-patter, pulsate, pulse, throb

Synonym Discussion of 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

Learn More about vibrate

  1. See words that rhyme with vibrate Dictionary: Definition of vibrate Spanish Central: Translation of vibrate Nglish: Translation of vibrate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of vibrate for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up vibrate? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

secrete

to deposit or conceal in a hiding place

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. Spartan Red Cross Warns of Shelter Conditions

  2. hirsute RIP Burt Reynolds

  3. op-ed NYT Publishes Anonymous Piece

  4. collegiality Kavanaugh Mentions Word in Hearing

  5. mistrial Manafort Guilty on 8 Counts

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games