oscillating

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'oscillating' is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adjective, meaning both 'varying to and fro between two points' and 'vacillating between two opinions or courses of action'. For example, "The stock market has been oscillating between gains and losses this week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

As with other good electric toothbrushes, the powerful buzzing and oscillating heads of the Pro 6000 make for an excellent clean.

The Guardian - Tech

By oscillating at a similar (ie, close enough) frequency to the human heart, a sufficiently strong alternating current can cause that organ to beat arhythmically and thereby induce ventricular fibrillation a potentially deadly condition that needs to be corrected immediately.But all electricity is dangerous.

The Economist

Why, at two o'clock, has a busload of beautiful Asian women, well-behaved children and gently patriarchal men in blue shalwar kameez, all oscillating between Urdu and English, appeared at the coffee counter like a technicolour hallucination?

The Economist

A depreciating real, which is oscillating around a 10-year low, pushes up inflation; it also makes Brazil's $230 billion dollar-denominated debt dearer by the day.

The Economist

Just as current views about what to do with British troops are confused and divided between a wish to bring them home, and calls to dispatch more of them to Helmand Britain's overall attitude to war is oscillating and contradictory.For it isn't just the past ten years.

The Economist

And just as the interaction between banking and economic woes is proving poisonous, so the interplay of public and political ignorance is damaging the country's prospects.Start with the government, whose ministers are still oscillating between prophesying economic Armageddon and gamely predicting the best of all possible recoveries.

The Economist

But the ensuing carnage is worse than anyone could have wanted (more than 280 people have by now been killed, 35 of them Israelis, and thousands have been maimed).Both Mr Barak and Mr Arafat have merely been reacting to events, oscillating between peace and war.

The Economist

This theory, which postulates that everything in the universe is a consequence of tiny strings oscillating in ten dimensions, was thought to have observable consequences only at very small scales as much smaller than atoms as atoms are smaller than the solar system.

The Economist

Mr Felt was tortured by his actions, oscillating between a desire to uphold the integrity of the FBI's case against the White House, and the dishonour of being an anonymous snitch.

The Economist

Signals in adjacent channels are timed so that their oscillating waves carry information at different intervals relative to each other.

The Economist

Diodes are essential in radios to turn rapidly oscillating radio waves into a smoother direct-current signal that can power a speaker.Rectifying a signal sounds like an altogether humbler task than amplifying it.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing cyclical processes or states, consider using "oscillating" to convey a sense of regular back-and-forth movement or change.

Common error

Avoid using "oscillating" to describe phenomena that are fixed or unchanging. "Oscillating" implies movement or fluctuation between different states, unlike a constant or static condition.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "oscillating" is as an adjective or a present participle of the verb "oscillate". It modifies nouns to describe something that moves rhythmically back and forth or varies between different states, as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Encyclopedias

32%

Science

24%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Academia

3%

Wiki

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "oscillating" is a versatile term used as an adjective or present participle to describe rhythmic movement or fluctuation between states. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and demonstrates its frequent use across diverse contexts, including news, encyclopedias, and scientific literature. While its register is generally neutral, it is particularly prevalent in scientific and technical discussions. When writing, remember that "oscillating" implies a back-and-forth motion, and avoid using it for static conditions. Alternatives like "fluctuating", "vibrating", and "wavering" offer nuanced variations in meaning, so choose the term that best fits your intended context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fluctuating

Emphasizes irregular shifts and changes, often in numerical or measurable values.

vibrating

Implies rapid, rhythmic movement around a fixed point.

wavering

Suggests a back-and-forth movement, often indicating hesitation or uncertainty.

swinging

Implies a curved or pendular motion.

alternating

Highlights a regular, back-and-forth change between two states or conditions.

undulating

Describes a smooth, wavelike movement.

pulsating

Suggests rhythmic expansion and contraction.

fluctuating between

Highlights movement or variation between different things or points.

varying

Indicates a general lack of consistency or uniformity.

reciprocating

Implies a back-and-forth movement in a mechanical or linear fashion.

FAQs

How can I use "oscillating" in a sentence?

You can use "oscillating" to describe something that moves back and forth regularly, such as "The pendulum was "oscillating"". It can also describe fluctuation between different states or opinions.

What words are similar in meaning to "oscillating"?

Alternatives to "oscillating" include "fluctuating", "vibrating", and "wavering", each suggesting a slightly different type of movement or change.

Is it correct to use "oscillating" to describe opinions?

Yes, "oscillating" can describe someone's opinions or decisions if they are "wavering" or changing frequently between different viewpoints. For example, "His support for the policy was "oscillating"".

What is the difference between "oscillating" and "fluctuating"?

"Oscillating" often implies a more regular, rhythmic movement or change, while "fluctuating" suggests a more erratic or irregular pattern of variation.