undulate

verb

Definition of undulatenext
as in to oscillate
formal to move or be shaped like waves undulating hills an undulating surface

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb undulate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of undulate are fluctuate, oscillate, sway, swing, vibrate, and waver. While all these words mean "to move from one direction to its opposite," undulate suggests a gentle wavelike motion.

an undulating sea of grass

When is fluctuate a more appropriate choice than undulate?

While in some cases nearly identical to undulate, fluctuate suggests constant irregular changes of level, intensity, or value.

fluctuating interest rates

Where would oscillate be a reasonable alternative to undulate?

The words oscillate and undulate can be used in similar contexts, but oscillate stresses a usually regular alternation of direction.

an oscillating fan

When can sway be used instead of undulate?

While the synonyms sway and undulate are close in meaning, sway implies a slow swinging or teetering movement.

trees swaying in the breeze

When might swing be a better fit than undulate?

Although the words swing and undulate have much in common, swing implies a movement of something attached at one end or one side.

the door suddenly swung open

When would vibrate be a good substitute for undulate?

The meanings of vibrate and undulate largely overlap; however, vibrate suggests the rapid oscillation of an elastic body under stress or impact.

the vibrating strings of a piano

When is it sensible to use waver instead of undulate?

In some situations, the words waver and undulate are roughly equivalent. However, waver stresses irregular motion suggestive of reeling or tottering.

the exhausted runner wavered before collapsing

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of undulate Kuma designed a 100-meter-long canopy with an undulating ceramic roof, inspired by traditional Japanese architecture. —Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 At the sight of the beautiful low-angle glade covered in undulating powder, the Rogers duo looked equally excited and apprehensive. —David Goodman, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025 Sheets of undulating snow led into gently lapping Arctic waves. —Akash Kapur, Travel + Leisure, 24 Feb. 2025 Similarly, models approximate topography, because the scale at which mountain ranges undulate is smaller than the resolution of global climate models, which tend to represent Earth in, at best, 100-square-kilometer pixels. —Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for undulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undulate
  1. oscillate
  2. fluctuate
  3. wave
  4. flutter
  5. vibrate
  6. shake
  7. flicker
  8. convulse
Verb
  • Earle-Sears, the lieutenant governor, has oscillated between supporting DOGE and offering sympathy to workers.
    — Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Since then, he’s oscillated nimbly between the big and small screens, with roles in films like Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight (2015), Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), and series like CBS’s The Unicorn (2019–2021) and Amazon’s Fallout (2024).
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of oscillate
Verb
  • But fuel surcharges levied on all of these package delivery methods can fluctuate from week to week.
    — Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The lake is fed from both cold and hot underground springs, and the water fluctuates from about 73 to 77 degrees in the winter up to about 91 to 97 degrees in the summer.
    — Maggie Fuller, AFAR Media, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of fluctuate
Verb
  • People were waving American flags and Ukrainian flags.
    — Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Trump waved to a few dozen supporters who were nearby and briskly walked into a nearby building.
    — Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of wave
Verb
  • Chinese national flags flutter on boats near shipping containers at the Yangshan Port outside Shanghai, China, February 7, 2025.
    — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2025
  • And Mark’s eyes flutter, the sound of severance thrums, and when Mark Scout awakens, he’s accidentally fired the bolt pistol into Drummond’s neck.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of flutter
Verb
  • The shock of the President Trump tariffs still vibrates through the world.
    — Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The vibrating bar also assists with lymphatic drainage, ably contouring, defining, and depuffing the face.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2025
Definition of vibrate
Verb
  • The back-and-forth over tariffs shook confidence in U.S. leadership, exposed fractures within Trump’s team and rattled companies that rely on global sources for products and international customers for sales.
    — Time, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Meanwhile, Lakers star LeBron James shook his head when asked about the play.
    — Jovan Buha, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of shake
Verb
  • The tech-heavy Nasdaq, the S&P 500 and Russell 2000, which started off in positive territory as well, are flickering red and green.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Once Joe left alone — with Halsey (Phil Burke), the suspect, in lockup — the lights flicker out.
    — Lisa de los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of flicker
Verb
  • To take but one example, the riots that convulsed swatches of England and Northern Ireland last year were fueled by social media accounts claiming sickening crimes by immigrants, amplified by right-wing accounts.
    — David Robert Grimes, Scientific American, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Taiwan’s new president calls for peace amid tenuous relations with China At the time, China was convulsed by civil war.
    — Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of convulse

Browse Nearby Words

undulant
undulate
undulated
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Cite this Entry

“Undulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undulate. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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