Definition
To resonate is to ring in sympathy — when one vibrating body sets another humming at the same frequency, as a struck tuning fork wakes its twin across the room. Physics calls this resonance; everyday speech borrows it for feeling: an idea resonates when it sets something vibrating inside us. The word implies an answering response that builds, not a passive echo. A message that resonates can gather momentum and amplify far beyond its first small strike.
Examples
- Struck at the right pitch, the glass makes the whole shelf resonate.
- Her speech resonated with anyone who had ever felt overlooked.
- The campaign's simple message resonated and spread far beyond its city.
Collocations
resonate with·deeply resonate·resonate widely·a message that resonates
Synonyms
reverberate·echo·vibrate·ring·strike a chord
Antonyms
clash·jar·fall flat
Word family
resonance (noun)·resonant (adjective)
In TOEFL & IELTS
TOEFL physics lectures use 'resonance' literally (resonant frequency, sympathetic vibration), while humanities passages use 'resonate with' for ideas that move an audience. In IELTS Speaking and Writing, 'this argument resonates with me' is a natural, high-band way to express agreement. Learn the noun 'resonance' and adjective 'resonant'.