resonate

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitivefigurative

   To feel true, meaningful or familiar to someone, so that they respond strongly.

   Grammar: No object; usually followed by with: the message resonated with voters.

   Patterns

   • resonate with someone

   Her story resonated with many readers.

   The song's lyrics still resonate with me.

   Does this message resonate with your team?

2. 2verbintransitive

   To make a deep, lasting sound that seems to fill a space, or to be filled with such a sound.

   Grammar: Often followed by with or through: the hall resonated with music.

   Patterns

   • resonate with something
   • resonate through something

   The drums resonated through the hall.

   The old church resonated with the sound of the organ.

3. 3verbintransitivephysics

   To vibrate in sympathy with another vibration at the same frequency, as in physics.

   Grammar: No object.

   A glass can resonate when a singer holds the right note.

Word forms

Common combinations

resonate with audiences

The film resonates with audiences worldwide.

really resonate

His words really resonated.

resonate deeply

The poem resonated deeply with her.

continue to resonate

Her speech continues to resonate.

Synonyms and how they differ

strike a chord

Strike a chord is a more idiomatic and vivid phrase for the same figurative sense.

echo

Echo suggests repeating sound or ideas, not personal connection.

reverberate

Reverberate stresses sound or effects spreading and lasting.

relate

Relate is more casual and means you feel connected.

Word family

resonance noun

deep sound or lasting emotional effect

resonant adjective

deep and full of sound, or meaningful

resonator noun

something that resonates

Commonly confused: resonate or resign?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “resonate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words