Standard Lemma guide

reverberation

noun · 6 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.

  • /ɹiˈvɜː(ɹ)bəɹeɪʃən/
  • /ɹɪˈvɜː(ɹ)bəɹeɪʃən/
  • /ɹəˈvɜː(ɹ)bəɹeɪʃən/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R IY0 V ER2 B ER0 EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A violent oscillation or vibration.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The discomfort caused by the bat's reverberation surprised Tommy.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An echo, or a series of overlapping echoes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The reverberation that followed Marilyn's shout filled the cavern.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The reflection of light or heat; a reflection in, or as though in, a mirror.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Like the several reverberations of the same image from two opposite looking glasses.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

An evolving series of effects resulting from a particular event; a repercussion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, in-plural, uncountable

Examples

  • Reverberations from the Vietnam war affect our society to this day.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

the repetition of a sound resulting from reflection of the sound waves

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she could hear echoes of her own footsteps

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: echo, sound reflection, replication

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: reflection, reflexion, reflectivity

Narrower terms: re-echo

6

noun

Meaning 6

a remote or indirect consequence of some action

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his declaration had unforeseen repercussions
  • reverberations of the market crash were felt years later

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: repercussion

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: consequence, effect, outcome, result, event, issue, upshot

History

Etymology

From Old French reverberation, from Medieval Latin reverberatio. Morphologically reverberate + -ion.

Across languages

Translations

60 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: terugslag — violent oscillation or vibration
  • Finnish: värinä — violent oscillation or vibration
  • French: contrecoup — violent oscillation or vibration
  • German: Zurückschlagen — violent oscillation or vibration
  • Māori: paorangi — violent oscillation or vibration
  • Tagalog: balingawngaw — violent oscillation or vibration
  • Bulgarian: ехо (eho) — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Bulgarian: ехтене (ehtene) — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Chinese Cantonese: 迴響 /回响 (wui4 hoeng2) — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Dutch: weerklank — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Dutch: echo — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Esperanto: resonado — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Finnish: kaiku — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Finnish: jälkikaiunta — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Finnish: jälkikaiku — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Finnish: kaje — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • French: echo — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • German: Hall — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • German: Nachhall — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • German: Widerhall — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • German: Widerklang — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • German: Nachhallen — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • German: Widerschallen — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • German: Zurückschallen — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • German: Nachklang — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Irish: aisfhuaimniú — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Irish: frithchaitheamh — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Irish: macalla — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Japanese: 残響 (zankyō) — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Macedonian: одек (odek) — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Māori: paorangi — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Polish: pogłos — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Portuguese: reverberação — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Russian: отраже́ние (otražénije) — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Russian: ревербера́ция (reverberácija) — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Russian: о́тзвук (ótzvuk) — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Slovak: dozvuk — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Swedish: efterklang — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Tagalog: balingawngaw — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Tagalog: ulyaw — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Thai: เสียงก้อง — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Thai: เสียงกังวาน — echo, or a series of overlapping echos
  • Bulgarian: отражение (otraženie) — reflection of light or heat
  • Dutch: weerkaatsing — reflection of light or heat
  • Finnish: heijastus — reflection of light or heat
  • French: réflexion — reflection of light or heat
  • German: Widerschein — reflection of light or heat
  • German: Zurückwerfen — reflection of light or heat
  • German: Zurückstrahlen — reflection of light or heat
  • German: Zurückwurf — reflection of light or heat
  • German: Widerspiegelung — reflection of light or heat
  • Irish: frithspré — reflection of light or heat
  • Irish: macalla — reflection of light or heat
  • Irish: frithchaitheamh — reflection of light or heat
  • Dutch: repercussie — evolving series of effects
  • Finnish: jälkikaiut — evolving series of effects
  • French: répercussion — evolving series of effects
  • German: Nachwirkung — evolving series of effects
  • German: Nachhall — evolving series of effects
  • Portuguese: repercussão — evolving series of effects