Resonates With Me – Meaning & Example Sentences

Has someone ever said something to you that felt completely right? They shared an opinion, and it was like something lit up inside of your brain, because that’s exactly how you feel, exactly how you think.

We’re going to look at a phrase that describes that experience: “resonates with me”.

Resonates With Me – Meaning

“Resonates with me” is a phrase that’s used to express a shared sentiment. If someone says something that “resonates” with you, that means that you relate to and understand it on a deep and intrinsic level. The statement they have made feels familiar to you.

One definition of “resonance” is the creation of a sound as the consequence of vibration. Under this definition, when one sound “resonates” with another, that means that they are vibrating on complimentary frequencies – creating a beautiful harmony. 

So, when something “resonates with” you, it is vibrating on your frequency. There is some kind of harmony between you and that thing. 

This metaphorical usage has developed the definition of the word. The Cambridge Dictionary defines “resonate” as:

• To produce, increase, or fill with sound, by vibrating objects that are near.
• To be filled with a particular quality. If an experience or a memory resonates, it makes you think of a similar one.

You are being filled with the qualities of familiarity and agreement when someone says something that “resonates with” you. Additionally, they may have said something that brings back memories for you or relates to experiences that you’ve had.

How to Use “Resonates With Me” in a Sentence

To help us understand this phrase, let’s look at some examples of how to use “resonates with me” in a sentence:

• The way she talks about her fear of spiders resonates with me deeply; my father was killed in the spider wars.
• When you talk about how disillusioned you’ve become with this war, it resonates with me on so many levels.
• Honestly, the plight of the spiders resonates with me so much. I think they’re just misunderstood.
• This resonates with me because my father was also killed in the spider wars.

You can also use this phrase in the past tense form:

• Talk of the joy of victory resonated with me once. Now, it only leaves me hollow.

Resonates With Me – Synonyms

You want to be able to add variety to your writing. That’s why we’ve gathered some synonyms for “resonates with me” below:

• I relate to that.
• That’s so relatable.
• I get where you’re coming from.
• I can empathize with that.
• That speaks to me.

In What Situations Can You Use “Resonates With Me”?

Use the phrase “resonates with me” when something that someone says or an experience that they have been through aligns with the way that you feel or inspires a strong emotion in you.

If you strongly agree with what someone says and it reflects your worldview, then it “resonates with” you.

If an experience that they have been through is similar to, or can draw a parallel with, one that you have been through, then it “resonates with” you. This doesn’t need to be one individual’s experience. It’s possible for you to “resonate with” the experience of a whole group of people.

A piece of art, like a painting, a bit of prose, or a song, can also “resonate with” you, as all of these things are capable of telling stories and inspiring great emotion.

Note that we use “resonate with” to express particularly strong emotion. It is an evocative phrase that implies something deep is stirring within you. 

Conclusion

“Resonates with me” is a phrase we use when we feel a sense of familiarity and kinship with an opinion, experience, or piece of art. When used, it indicates that whatever we’re responding to has inspired a deep emotion within us – something that feels somewhat intrinsic to our being.