modulate — English Dictionary

Verb

1. To regulate, adjust or adapt. To change the pitch, intensity or tone of one's voice or of a musical instrument.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   "Can you tell?" she asked, in a trembling but well modulated and sensual voice.

2. To regulate, adjust or adapt. To vary the amplitude, frequency or phase of a carrier wave in proportion to the amplitude etc of a source wave (such as speech or music).

   Usage

   • Transitive

3. To regulate, adjust or adapt. To move from one key or tonality to another, especially by using a chord progression.

   Usage

   • Intransitive
   • Transitive

Verb

1. change the key of, in music

   Broader terms

   playspiel

   Examples

   modulate the melody

2. vary the pitch of one's speech

   Synonyms

   toneinflect

   Broader terms

   talkspeakuttermouthverbalizeverbalise

3. fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of

   Synonyms

   regulate

   Broader terms

   adjustsetcorrect

   Examples

   regulate the temperature

   modulate the pitch

4. adjust the pitch, tone, or volume of

   Broader terms

   adjustsetcorrect

5. vary the frequency, amplitude, phase, or other characteristic of (electromagnetic waves)

   Broader terms

   changealtermodify