# resonance

/ˈɹɛzənəns/ (US) · /ɹˈɛzənəns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/resonance
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. sound quality

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the quality of a sound being deep, full, and lasting for a long time.

For teachers: the quality of being resonant; the intensification and enrichment of a musical tone by supplementary vibration.

- The singer's voice had a beautiful resonance that filled the entire concert hall.
- The cello's deep resonance was enhanced by the wooden floors of the chamber, creating an immersive acoustic experience for the audience.

### 2. emotional impact

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the power of an idea or feeling to be important to you or to remind you of something.

For teachers: the power to evoke enduring images, memories, or emotions; the quality of 'striking a chord' with an audience.

- The old stories still have a lot of resonance for people living today.
- The poet's metaphors carry a particular resonance for those who have experienced the displacement of war and migration.

### 3. physical vibration

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

when an object vibrates more strongly because it is hit by a force at a specific speed.

For teachers: the increase in amplitude of oscillation when a system is exposed to a periodic force whose frequency matches its natural frequency.

- The bridge began to shake because the wind hit it at just the right resonance.
- Engineers must account for mechanical resonance to ensure that the building's structural integrity is not compromised during high-frequency seismic events.

### 4. orbital influence

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the way the gravity of one planet or moon affects the path of another.

For teachers: the gravitational influence of two orbiting bodies on each other when their orbital periods are related by a ratio of small integers.

- The moons of Jupiter are locked in a resonance that keeps their orbits stable.
- The 2:3 orbital resonance between Pluto and Neptune prevents the two bodies from colliding despite their intersecting paths.

### 5. chemical structure

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a way of describing a molecule that can be shown in more than one way.

For teachers: the representation of the electronic structure of a molecule as a hybrid of two or more contributing structures.

- The resonance of the benzene ring explains why the molecule is so stable.
- Resonance theory allows chemists to predict the stability and reactivity of aromatic compounds by averaging several Lewis structures.

## Examples

- The singer's voice has a beautiful resonance.
- The politician's speech about family values had a strong resonance with the local community.
- The historical parallels in the novel provide a haunting resonance that lingers long after the final chapter, forcing the reader to confront contemporary social anxieties through a Victorian lens.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.