Standard Lemma guide

reverberate

adj · verb · 29 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈvɜːbəɹət/
  • General-American: /ɹəˈvɜɹbəɹət/
  • General-American: /ɹi-/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈvɜːbəˌɹeɪt/
  • General-American: /ɹəˈvɜɹbəˌɹeɪt/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R IH0 V ER1 B ER0 AH0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: R IH0 V ER1 B ER0 EY0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Synonym of reverberant (“that tends to reverberate (“(repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces”) or has reverberated”); re-echoed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: reverberant

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Ringing or vibrating with many echoing sounds; re-echoing, resounding, reverberating.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; to re-echo.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

Followed by on (to): to deflect or divert (flames, heat, etc.) on to something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Flame is reverberated in a furnace.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To heat (something) by deflecting flames on to, or passing flames over, it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, transitive

Topics: chemistry, engineering, metallurgy, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To repeatedly reflect (heat, light, or other radiation).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To drive, force, or push (someone or something) back; to repel, to repulse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To send (something) back from where it came.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

Of light or sound: to fall on or hit (a surface or other thing); also, to fill or spread throughout (a space or other thing).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To beat or hit (something) repeatedly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, rare, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

Of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces; to echo or re-echo, to resound.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

Chiefly followed by to or with: of a place or thing: to ring or vibrate with many echoing sounds; to re-echo, to resound.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

Often followed by from: of heat or (less commonly) light: to be (repeatedly) reflected.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

Of information, news, etc.: to be spread widely through repetition.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

verb

Meaning 15

Of a thing: to have lasting and often significant effects.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

verb

Meaning 16

Of a thing: to be heated by having flames, hot gases, etc., deflected or passed over it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

verb

Meaning 17

To deflect or divert flames, hot gases, etc., on or into something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

verb

Meaning 18

To shine on something, especially with reflected light.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

19

verb

Meaning 19

Of a thing: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces, especially with a sound; to rebound, to recoil.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

20

verb

Meaning 20

Followed by on or upon, or to: of a thing: to return and affect a person, their feelings, etc.; to recoil.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

21

verb

Meaning 21

Followed by in and a reflexive pronoun: of a thing: to turn back on itself.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, obsolete, rare

Examples

  • A beam of light shone into the interior of a mirrored sphere would reverberate in itself.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

22

verb

Meaning 22

Of a furnace, kiln, etc.: to heat up through the effect of flames, hot gases, etc., deflecting within it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, obsolete, rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

23

verb

Meaning 23

To heat something by deflecting flames on to, or passing flames over, it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, obsolete

Topics: chemistry, engineering, metallurgy, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

24

verb

Meaning 24

treat, process, heat, melt, or refine in a reverberatory furnace

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • reverberate ore

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: process, treat

25

verb

Meaning 25

spring back; spring away from an impact

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The rubber ball bounced
  • These particles do not resile but they unite after they collide

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bounce, resile, take a hop, spring, bound, rebound, recoil, ricochet

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: jump, leap, bound, spring

Narrower terms: kick back, recoil, kick, skip, bound off, carom

26

verb

Meaning 26

to throw or bend back (from a surface)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Sound is reflected well in this auditorium

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: reflect

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: reverberate, mirror

27

verb

Meaning 27

be reflected as heat, sound, or light or shock waves

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the waves reverberate as far away as the end of the building

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: reflect, reverberate

28

verb

Meaning 28

ring or echo with sound

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the hall resounded with laughter

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: resound, echo, ring

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sound, go

Narrower terms: consonate, reecho, bong

29

verb

Meaning 29

have a long or continuing effect

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The discussions with my teacher reverberated throughout my adult life

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: prevail, persist, die hard, run, endure

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin reverberātus, see Etymology 1 and -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more. etymology 2, adjective sense 2 (“ringing or vibrating with many echoing sounds”) was popularized by its use in Twelfth Night (written c. 1601–1602; published 1623) by the English playwright William Shakespeare (1564–1616): see the quotation.

Borrowed from Latin reverberātus, perfect passive participle of reverberō (“to rebound; to reflect; to repel”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), whence Middle French reverberer (French réverbérer) and Middle English reverberen (“to send back”)), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) and verberō (“to beat; to lash, whip”) (from verber (“rod; lash, whip”) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs)).

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: ехтя (ehtja) — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Catalan: reverberar — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Esperanto: resonadi — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Finnish: kaikua — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Finnish: kajahdella — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • French: réverbérer — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • German: nachdröhnen — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • German: nachhallen — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • German: nachklingen — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Greek: αντηχώ (antichó) — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Irish: aisfhuaimnigh — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Irish: macalla a dhéanamh — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Italian: riecheggiare — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Manx: aaheean — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Māori: pāorooro — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Māori: wheoro — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Norwegian: gjalle — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Norwegian: ljome — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Norwegian: runge — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Russian: раздава́ться (razdavátʹsja) — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Sanskrit: स्तनति (stanati) — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Spanish: reverberar — (transitive) to cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; (intransitive) of sound: to (repeatedly) bounce against one or more surfaces — see also echo, resound
  • Finnish: heijastaa — to deflect or divert (flames, heat, etc.) on to something
  • Finnish: kuumentaa heijastuslämmöllä — (transitive) to heat (something) by deflecting flames on to, or passing flames over, it; (intransitive) of a thing: to be heated by having flames, hot gases, etc., deflected or passed over it
  • Finnish: kuumeta heijastuslämmöllä — (transitive) to heat (something) by deflecting flames on to, or passing flames over, it; (intransitive) of a thing: to be heated by having flames, hot gases, etc., deflected or passed over it
  • Finnish: heijastella — (transitive) to repeatedly reflect (heat, light, or other radiation); (intransitive) of heat or light: to be (repeatedly) reflected
  • Finnish: kulkeutua — of information, news, etc.: to be spread widely through repetition
  • Catalan: reverberar — of a thing: to have lasting and often significant effects
  • Finnish: heijastua — of a thing: to have lasting and often significant effects
  • Italian: riverberare — of a thing: to have lasting and often significant effects