reverberate

1 of 2

verb

re·​ver·​ber·​ate ri-ˈvər-bə-ˌrāt How to pronounce reverberate (audio)
reverberated; reverberating

intransitive verb

1
a
: to become driven back
b
: to become reflected
2
: to continue in or as if in a series of echoes : resound
a historic event that still reverberates today

reverberate

2 of 2

adjective

re·​ver·​ber·​ate ri-ˈvər-b(ə-)rət How to pronounce reverberate (audio)

Did you know?

The letter sequence "v-e-r-b" in reverberate might make you think at first of such word-related brethren as proverb, verbal, and verbose, all of which derive from the Latin noun verbum, meaning "word." In fact, reverberate comes from a much different source: the Latin verb verberare, meaning "to whip, beat, or lash," which is related to the noun verber, meaning "rod." Reverberate entered the English language in the 15th century, and one of its early meanings was "to beat, drive, or cast back." By the early 1600s, it began to appear in contexts associated with sound that repeats or returns the way an echo does.

Examples of reverberate in a Sentence

Verb the sound of thunder reverberated from one end of the mountain pass to the other
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
The political fallout over the measure is reverberating the most among Democrats, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) facing fury from much of his party over his decision to provide the votes necessary for the measure to get through the Senate. Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 14 Mar. 2025 From above the stage, a brooding electric guitar reverberated through the space as the dancer pirouetted onto the stage alone, only to be gradually joined by others, their movements synchronized with the live accompaniment of a classical pianist. Tiana Randall, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 Image The fallout has reverberated ever since, prompting Ukraine’s European allies to pledge further support. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2025 Bloody Sunday stokes outrage over the brutality of Jim Crow News coverage of the violence that day reverberated around the world, shedding new light on how far Alabama authorities would go to protect white supremacy. Marisa Peñaloza, NPR, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reverberate

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin reverberatus, past participle of reverberare, from re- + verberare to lash, from verber rod — more at vervain

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1603, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reverberate was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Reverberate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reverberate. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

reverberate

verb
re·​ver·​ber·​ate
ri-ˈvər-bə-ˌrāt
reverberated; reverberating
: to continue in or as if in a series of echoes
reverberation
-ˌvər-bə-ˈrā-shən
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on reverberate

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