oscillation
noun
os·cil·la·tion
ˌä-sə-ˈlā-shən 
1
: the action or state of oscillating
stays can be effectively used to prevent oscillations in new bridges—
D. B. Steinman
D. B. Steinman2
: variation, fluctuation
famines due to excessive storminess and violent oscillations of rain and drought, heat and cold—Ellsworth Huntington
Ellsworth Huntington3
: a flow of electricity changing periodically from a maximum to a minimum
especially
: a flow periodically changing direction
4
: a single swing (as of an oscillating body) from one extreme limit to the other
Each oscillation of the pendulum represents one second.
Examples of oscillation in a Sentence
the continued oscillation of the fan
There has been oscillation between optimism and pessimism among voters.
Recent Examples on the Web
The researchers’ goal was to inject tracer dye into CSF at one point in the brain and then track its oscillations and dynamics while the mice slept.
—Veronique Greenwood, Quanta Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
Then the neutrino beam at Fermilab is scheduled to go live by 2031, allowing for oscillation measurements.
—Discover Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
But tracking these oscillations and trading them day by day or hour by hour can be a full-time job, and most people already have full-time jobs.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
Large-scale structure data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) began pouring in, showing features like baryon acoustic oscillations and again revealing that 5-to-1 dark matter to normal matter ratio.
—Big Think, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oscillation
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Veronique Greenwood, Quanta Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
Then the neutrino beam at Fermilab is scheduled to go live by 2031, allowing for oscillation measurements.
—Discover Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
But tracking these oscillations and trading them day by day or hour by hour can be a full-time job, and most people already have full-time jobs.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
Large-scale structure data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) began pouring in, showing features like baryon acoustic oscillations and again revealing that 5-to-1 dark matter to normal matter ratio.
—Big Think, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oscillation
Cite this Entry
“Oscillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oscillation. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
oscillation
noun
os·cil·la·tion
ˌäs-ə-ˈlā-shən
1
: the action or state of oscillating : vibration
3
: a single swing (as of an oscillating body) from one extreme limit to the other
Medical Definition
oscillation
noun
os·cil·la·tion
ˌäs-ə-ˈlā-shən
1
: the action or state of oscillating
2
: a flow of electricity changing periodically from a maximum to a minimum
especially
: a flow periodically changing direction
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