pendulum

noun

pen·​du·​lum ˈpen-jə-ləm How to pronounce pendulum (audio)
ˈpen-dyə-,
-də-
1
: a body suspended from a fixed point so as to swing freely to and fro under the action of gravity and commonly used to regulate movements (as of clockwork)
2
: something (such as a state of affairs) that alternates between opposites
doesn't take much to swing the pendulum of opinion the other way

Examples of pendulum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Taipei 101 building, once recognized as the tallest skyscraper in the world, uses an enormous tuned mass damper (basically a giant pendulum) to protect itself from earthquakes. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024 Even in 2021, a time when fashion’s pendulum of desire had swung to an extreme, oversized silhouette thanks to the mainstreaming of brands like Balenciaga, ultra-slim jeans still made up the largest share of women’s jeans at 34% of sales in the US. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2024 While a traditional clock might use a pendulum swinging back and forth to measure the passage of time, microwave oscillator clocks rely on electronic fields that fluctuate at frequencies of 300 MHz to 300 GHz. IEEE Spectrum, 19 Mar. 2024 But for now the pendulum seems to be swinging toward, not away. Nikki Baird, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Dole lost, of course, but in recent years the age pendulum has swung back to older leaders. Lawrence K. Altman, STAT, 16 Feb. 2024 What’s more, the pendulum is only going to swing further in favor of soft skills, according to the research. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2024 These data will be used to determine the center of gravity for the pendulum, which will swing slower or faster depending on the tree ring thickness. Peter Rubin, Longreads, 8 Feb. 2024 When did workplaces start embracing DEI? The backlash against DEI may feel like a pendulum swing from 2020, but the DEI practice has been around for decades. Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pendulum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, neuter of pendulus

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pendulum was in 1660

Dictionary Entries Near pendulum

Cite this Entry

“Pendulum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pendulum. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

pendulum

noun
pen·​du·​lum ˈpen-jə-ləm How to pronounce pendulum (audio)
: a body hung from a fixed point so as to swing freely back and forth under the action of gravity
Etymology

from scientific Latin pendulum "something suspended so as to swing freely," from Latin pendulus "suspended," from pendēre "to hang" — related to depend, perpendicular

More from Merriam-Webster on pendulum

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