ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Words›O›oscillate
ISEE/SSAThard
oscillate
to waver back and forth between positions, opinions, or states; to swing with a steady rhythm
Synonyms
Antonyms
- commit
- settle
- resolve
oscillate in a sentence
The council continued to oscillate between strict regulation and voluntary reform.
The committee may oscillate between caution and urgency as new evidence emerges.
Where it comes from
From Latin oscillare, meaning 'to swing.'
Memory hook
An oscillating fan swings between two sides; an oscillating mind likewise wavers between two positions.
Read it in context
- The Bellwether Revision Social Science