pendulum
noun
pen·du·lum
ˈpen-jə-ləm 
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 pendulum may have swung back to skin-forward faces that veer natural, but Jacobs still sees makeup as a statement-maker, and the line encourages creativity and play, with products packed with pigment that deliver high-stakes color and whimsy.
—
Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Would a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz prompt a pendulum swing away from tech and back to the rest of the tape, and what might that mean for the big-cap benchmarks?
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 19 May 2026
But polls and special elections that have been held over the past year or so suggest that the pendulum has swung among Latino voters.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
The whole episode, Kyle is a pendulum swinging between anger and sadness, between lashing out and injuring Amanda, and looking to be the victim.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pendulum
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Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Would a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz prompt a pendulum swing away from tech and back to the rest of the tape, and what might that mean for the big-cap benchmarks?
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 19 May 2026
But polls and special elections that have been held over the past year or so suggest that the pendulum has swung among Latino voters.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
The whole episode, Kyle is a pendulum swinging between anger and sadness, between lashing out and injuring Amanda, and looking to be the victim.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pendulum
Cite this Entry
“Pendulum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pendulum. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pendulum
noun
pen·du·lum
ˈpen-jə-ləm
: 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
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