Meaning & use
oscillation
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
A regular movement back and forth between two points or positions.
Grammar: Can be countable (an oscillation) or uncountable (the process of oscillation). Often used in technical contexts.
Patterns
- oscillation between something and something
- the oscillation of something
- a rapid oscillation
The oscillation of the pendulum was steady and predictable.
Engineers measured the oscillation of the bridge in strong winds.
The graph shows a clear oscillation between high and low values.
nouncountable or uncountable
A repeated change from one state, opinion, or condition to another and back again.
Grammar: Often used figuratively with 'between': oscillation between hope and despair.
Patterns
- oscillation between A and B
- oscillation of opinion
- emotional oscillation
His oscillation between confidence and doubt made him hard to work with.
The market's oscillation between gains and losses worried investors.
There has been an oscillation in public opinion on the issue.
Word forms
| plural | oscillations |
|---|
Common combinations
- oscillation between
- The novel captures the oscillation between hope and despair.
- rapid oscillation
- The rapid oscillation of the needle made it hard to read.
- oscillation of a pendulum
- The oscillation of a pendulum is a classic physics experiment.
- oscillation in temperature
- We recorded a daily oscillation in temperature of about 10 degrees.
Synonyms and how they differ
- swing
- More general and often physical; 'oscillation' is more technical and regular.
- vibration
- Implies a rapid, often small movement; 'oscillation' can be slower and wider.
- fluctuation
- Used for irregular changes; 'oscillation' suggests a more regular back-and-forth.
Word family
- oscillate verb
- To move back and forth or keep changing between two states.
- oscillator noun
- A device that produces oscillation, especially in electronics.
- oscillatory adjective
- Relating to or characterized by oscillation.
Commonly confused: oscillation or ossification?
oscillation vs ossification
Means the process of turning into bone or becoming rigid; different meaning.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'oscillation' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Oscillation' means a back-and-forth movement or change, so sentence B fits. An is wrong because a fan cools by blowing air, not by oscillation alone; C uses the noun as a verb; D is not a standard meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “oscillation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.