Meaning & use
reverberate
Last updated
Meanings
verbintransitive
If a sound reverberates, it echoes repeatedly, filling a place.
Grammar: No object; often used with around, through, or in.
Patterns
- reverberate around something
- reverberate through something
- reverberate in something
The music reverberated around the empty hall.
Thunder reverberated through the valley.
Her voice reverberated in the large room.
verbintransitivefigurative
If an event or action reverberates, it has a strong, lasting effect that spreads widely.
Grammar: No object; often followed by through, around, or across.
Patterns
- reverberate through something
- reverberate around something
- reverberate across something
The news of the scandal reverberated through the company.
The decision reverberated across the whole country.
The effects of the war will reverberate for years.
Word forms
| third person singular | reverberates |
|---|---|
| past tense | reverberated |
| past participle | reverberated |
| -ing form | reverberating |
Common combinations
- reverberate through the room
- The applause reverberated through the room.
- reverberate around the world
- The news reverberated around the world.
- reverberate for years
- The impact will reverberate for years.
- echo and reverberate
- The sound echoed and reverberated in the tunnel.
Synonyms and how they differ
- echo
- Echo is the everyday word for a sound being repeated; reverberate suggests a longer, fuller, more vibrating echo.
- resound
- Resound means to fill a place with sound; it is more literary and less about repeated echoes.
- ripple
- Ripple is used for effects that spread gradually, while reverberate suggests a stronger, more dramatic spread.
Word family
- reverberation noun
- A repeated echo, or a lasting effect.
Commonly confused: reverberate or reverberate?
reverberate vs reverberate
Sometimes confused with 'reverberate' and 'reverberation' — the verb has no object: 'The sound reverberated', not 'reverberated the sound'.
Practice
The loud bang ______ through the empty building.
Choose one answer.
The past tense 'reverberated' fits the past-time sentence. 'Reverberate' is the base form, 'reverberating' needs a helping verb, and 'reverberation' is a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “reverberate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.