Basic Details
Word: Oscillate
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To move back and forth regularly, like a pendulum. It also means to keep changing between two feelings or opinions.
Synonyms: swing, sway, waver, vacillate
Word origin: From Latin oscillare, to swing.
How to Spell Oscillate
Syllables: os - cil - late
Tricky part: The s and c sit together and make one s sound, and the l is doubled. Common slips are osillate and oscilate.
Watch out for: osillate, oscilate, ossilate
Memory tip: Picture a pendulum clock. The two l's are the two ends it swings between, and the word finishes with ate, as in late.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The pendulum of the old clock oscillates from side to side.
Example 2: Onion prices oscillate wildly from one season to the next.
Example 3: She oscillated between joining the dance club and the chess club.
Fun Fact
The quartz crystal inside most wristwatches oscillates 32,768 times every second, and the watch counts these to keep time.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word oscillate as used in the sentence:
During the long final, his mood would oscillate between joy and despair.
a) recover
b) waver
c) retire
d) settle
Show answer
b) waver. A mood that keeps moving from one feeling to another wavers; it does not settle.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
o_ci_late
a) s, s
b) c, l
c) s, l
d) s, t
Show answer
c) s, l. Oscillate opens with os before the c, and it carries a double l.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
A table fan that can lcletsiao turns its head slowly from left to right.
a) escalate
b) isolate
c) calculate
d) oscillate
Show answer
d) oscillate. Escalate needs a second a and calculate needs a u; isolate is two letters short of this jumble.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these oscillates?
a) a stone on a road
b) a book on a shelf
c) a swing in a park
d) a brick in a wall
Show answer
c) a swing in a park
2. A person who oscillates between two choices is ____.
a) certain of the answer
b) unsure which to pick
c) angry with both
d) pleased with both
Show answer
b) unsure which to pick
