English Reference
verb

resonate

v.
US /ˈɹɛzəˌneɪt/ UK /ɹˈɛzənˌeɪt/ res·onate UK spelling resonated, resonates, resonating

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    to be received with agreement or to feel personally important to you.

    to evoke a feeling of shared emotion, belief, or importance in a person or group.

    Simple

    Her speech about working hard really resonated with the students.

    In context

    The candidate's message of economic reform failed to resonate with rural voters, who felt their specific concerns were being ignored.

    Usage

    Typically takes the preposition 'with' followed by the person or group affected.

    Teacher's tip

    This is the most common way learners will encounter the word in modern media and business contexts.

The themes resonate with many readers, she adds.

BBC News· 14 Aug 2026

The island setting, themes of displacement and longing for return resonated, and made me realise Shakespeare could speak to my life.

The Guardian· 31 Jul 2026

From Latin resonō.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin resonō
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated