as in shiver
an instance of shaking involuntarily with fear or cold
a shudder ran through him as he stepped outside into the snow
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to shake
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
huddled in the basement, we shuddered with fear as we heard the approaching tornado
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shudder
Corinna Da Fonseca-Wollheim, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Ana’s community refers to with shudders as La Migra.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
Old Thunderbird shuddered under the force of the impact and then fell over onto his side.
—Thomas Weddle, Outdoor Life, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shudder
Noun
As the low drone grew louder, individual voices peeled off with microtonal shudders and ululations, and foghorn-like trombone blasts wormed their way through the vocal texture.
—Corinna Da Fonseca-Wollheim, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Ana’s community refers to with shudders as La Migra.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
So ingrained is the fixation with speed that generations of U.S. military commanders have learned to shudder at the mention of attritional warfare, embracing decisive maneuver as the route to quick victories.
—Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
Old Thunderbird shuddered under the force of the impact and then fell over onto his side.
—Thomas Weddle, Outdoor Life, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shudder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shudder
Noun
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The females’ eggs, fertilized by the males’ shivers, will hatch over the next few months.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Feb. 2025
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Merely the thought of any potential Chinese aggression in Taiwan sends shivers down the spines of industry, market, and government officials, and an outright attack would put the worldwide economy in a tailspin.—
Karl Freund,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Carnal, with care – Jis shook the bedrock of the cordial, conservative Guadalajara community with filth, camp and candor.—
Holly Jones,
Variety,
9 June 2025
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The bizarre blackouts are first explained with a bizarre hit-and-run that shook Larkin months earlier.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
8 June 2025
Noun
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Furman is one of a kind: a trans, devoutly Jewish former rabbinical student who’s written a book about Lou Reed and sings folk-punk songs in a mercurial tremble.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
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Valeria leaves guard duties to Ellen, a grandmother with a constant tremble in her hands from her MS.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Avoid jerking the floss or aggressive movements; instead, use smooth, gentle motions.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
5 May 2025
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However, the pendulum appears to be jerking back toward the physically and mentally unhealthy skinny extreme–and a new TikTok trend serves as the latest example: SkinnyTok.—
Beth Ann Mayer,
Parents,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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There’s quivering and shoving, growling and purring.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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The journalist raised her hand, and her voice quivered in seeming alarm as the 6.2-magnitude quake shook Istanbul shortly before 1 p.m. local time on Wednesday, April 23.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
People.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The green earth below the stone seems to vibrate with Dorian’s physical presence.—
Jayson Greene,
Vulture,
30 May 2025
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The males climb up trees and produce their shrill songs en masse, using muscles to vibrate a rigid part of their exoskeletons called tymbals.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shudder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shudder. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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