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

While the common trend is for people to use too much soap, the pendulum can swing both ways. —Katelyn Squiers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Oct. 2024

The pendulum swings the other way as well, as suggested by the accidental 2017 enshrining of a pineapple left on the floor of an exhibition by students, or the 2016 elevation of a pair of eyeglasses introduced into a museum gallery by a teenaged prankster. —News Desk, Artforum, 9 Oct. 2024

Shows like Matlock and Doctor Odyssey are legitimately strong network-TV debuts, but there’s also something of a pendulum effect happening here. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024

Now, the pendulum has swung to oral wellness as consumers and brands focus on inflammation, clean ingredients, the oral microbiome and the mouth’s impact on one’s overall health. —Emily Burns, WWD, 22 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, neuter of pendulus

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pendulum

• Foucault pendulum

Kids 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