What does "undulate" mean?
To cause to move in a wavelike motion.
Undulate
/ˈʌndjəleɪt/ adj, verb
adj, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To cause to move in a wavelike motion.
- Grammar: undulate is listed as adj, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: ripple, roll, wave, alternate.
- Useful contrasts: flatten, settle, stabilize.
- Usage evidence: At the end of a gestation period usually lasting from two to four weeks, the pregnant male’s abdominal area begins to undulate rhythmically, and strong muscular contractions eject from a few dozen to as many as 1,000 fully formed baby seahorses into the surrounding water.
How to use "undulate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "undulate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "undulate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "undulate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "undulate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "undulate" is acting as adj, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ripple" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "undulate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To cause to move in a wavelike motion. transitive
"Breath vocalized, i.e., vibrated and undulated."
- 2 increase and decrease in volume or pitch, as if in waves wordnet
- 3 To cause to resemble a wave. transitive
- 4 move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion wordnet
- 5 To move in wavelike motions. intransitive
"Come lovely and soothing death, / Undulate round the world, serenely arriving, arriving, / In the day, in the night, to all, to each, / Sooner or later delicate death."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 stir up (water) so as to form ripples wordnet
- 7 To appear wavelike. intransitive
- 8 occur in soft rounded shapes wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Wavy in appearance or form.
- 2 Changing the pitch and volume of one's voice.
- 3 sinuous, winding up and down.
Adjective
- 1 having a wavy margin and rippled surface wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"At the end of a gestation period usually lasting from two to four weeks, the pregnant male’s abdominal area begins to undulate rhythmically, and strong muscular contractions eject from a few dozen to as many as 1,000 fully formed baby seahorses into the surrounding water."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "undulate"?
Common synonyms include: ripple, roll, wave, alternate, bank, be here again.
How do you use "undulate" in a sentence?
At the end of a gestation period usually lasting from two to four weeks, the pregnant male’s abdominal area begins to undulate rhythmically, and strong muscular contractions eject from a few dozen to as many as 1,000 fully formed baby seahorses into the surrounding water.
How do you pronounce "undulate"?
Pronounced /ˈʌndjəleɪt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
First attested in 1664; borrowed from New Latin undulātus, the perfect passive participle of undulō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from an unattested *undula (“small wave”), diminutive of Latin unda (“wave”).
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Late Latin undulātus (“undulated”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix).