resonate

Resonate is a verb with several related senses. In sound, to resonate means to produce or be filled with a deep, reverberating sound as a source of vibration operates at its natural frequency. A sound can also resonate within a space, causing other objects to vibrate sympathetically. The term is often used metaphorically to describe something that evokes a strong emotional response or a sense of shared meaning, such as a story or idea that resonates with an audience.

The noun form resonance denotes the phenomenon itself, while the adjectives resonant or resonatory describe the quality of producing resonance.

In physics and engineering, resonance occurs when a system is driven by an external influence at or near its natural frequency, causing oscillations to achieve large amplitudes. This is observed in mechanical systems (pendulums, tuning forks), acoustics (air columns and cavities), and electrical circuits (LC resonators). The frequency at which resonance happens is called the resonance frequency, and the sharpness of the response is described by the quality factor, or Q.

In everyday language, people say that things resonate with them when there is alignment between external stimuli and internal perception, including music, architecture, and ideas that harmonize with personal experience.

See also: resonance, resonant, resonator.