resonance

noun

SayREZ-uh-nuhns/ˈɹɛzənəns/

11 meanings of resonance

1
emotional powernounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
Something that brings other things to mind or makes people feel strongly.
The old song has a special resonance for my grandparents.
Her speech about losing her job had real resonance with many workers.
Similarsignificance, meaning, relevance, power
Note
2
depth of soundnoununcountable
The quality of making a deep, full sound that seems to ring and last.
Her voice has so much resonance that she never needs a microphone.
An empty barrel has much more resonance than a full one when you knock on it.
Similarsonority, richness, fullness, depth
Note
3
nouncountable
A deep, ringing sound or echo, like the one made by blowing over the top of a bottle.
The church bell left a long resonance in the air after it stopped.
Every footstep in the empty hall made a hollow resonance.
Similarreverberation, echo, vibration
4
strengthened notesnouncountable or uncountable
A musical note becoming louder or lasting longer because another object shakes in time with it.
The sitar has extra strings that ring along with the played ones and add resonance.
When you hold down the piano's right pedal, the other strings give each note more resonance.
5
physicsnouncountable or uncountable
The growth of shaking or swinging when a thing is pushed again and again at about its natural rhythm.
Like pushing a swing at just the right moment, so each push makes it go higher.
A singer can break a wine glass by using resonance with a strong, steady note.
Soldiers stop marching in step on a bridge so resonance will not make it shake.
Note
6
chemistrynouncountable or uncountable
A property of a chemical that can be drawn in two ways, the same except for where its electrons are.
Resonance helps explain why benzene is so stable.
Our teacher drew two pictures of the molecule to explain its resonance.
Similarmesomerism
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of resonance apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin, where it meant "echo," from a word meaning "I resound." It came into English through Old French.