Master confusing words with ease
Oscillate vs. Osculate
Oscillate
/ˈɒsəleɪt/Examples:
The fan blades oscillate to evenly cool the room.He tends to oscillate between optimism and pessimism.The pendulum will oscillate at a regular period.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Osculate
Examples:
Their lips osculated gently under the moonlight.The two graphs osculate at just one charming point.In botany, leaves may osculate with floral parts.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Oscillate has two cs in the middle, like the motion of a pendulum swinging back and forth.
- Osculate reminds you of osculatory, which is often used poetically for lips and kissing.
- Both words have o and s at the beginning, but remember that the cill in oscillate suggests to swing like a clock.
- Oscillate involves movement or change between positions; it sounds mechanical due to its engineering contexts.
- Osculate shares a similar ending with caress and kiss, relating to its meaning.
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