Synonyms
Examples of quaver in a Sentence
Verb
Her voice quavered during the speech.
He spoke in quavering tones.
Noun
There was a quaver in his voice.
Recent Examples on the Web
Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023
Her voice quavered recalling women who killed themselves after G.I.s who had taken them as common-law wives subsequently abandoned them and their children.
—Choe Sang-Hun Jean Chung, New York Times, 2 May 2023
Staticky street sounds from Shuliavka, a neighborhood that endured artillery strikes in the war’s first hours, commingle with quavering loops of electronic vibrations.
—Jason Farago, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2023
Occasionally his voice quavered but mostly Affleck spoke earnestly and straightforwardly.
—Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2020
Most earthquakes, including those that quavered under southern California this week, stem from cracks in the earth’s crust, known as faults.
—Anya Van Wagtendonk, Vox, 4 July 2019
Cracked, punched, slathered, and slabbed, Zhang’s works are visceral embodiments of quavering humanity.
—Julia Couzens, sacbee, 4 May 2018
Prada clothing, meanwhile, looks backward and forward at the same time, quavering between retro and 21st-century originality.
—Brad Dunning, GQ, 28 Mar. 2018
Elizabeth Drumm, the head of the programme, made some introductory remarks, her voice quavering.
—The Economist, 7 Sep. 2017
Brad Shoup, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2024
As Booth introduces more aspects of Kenneth’s past, his voice takes on an affecting quaver.
—Vulture, 26 May 2023
At 2,000-8,000 Scovilles, the gentle jalapeño quavers before some of the peppers sought by sadomasochistic eaters.
—M. Carrie Allan, Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2023
Brimming with the richness of its foundational roux, there’s a quaver of smoke from the coins of browned andouille sausage.
—Jenn Harriscolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022
Recently, the mayor has had a tickle in her throat that sometimes swells to a quaver in her voice, cutting her off prematurely in conversations and news conferences.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Jan. 2022
There was a quaver in his voice, which defined the depth of his emotion.
—Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 23 Dec. 2021
From there, the song plays like an elegy for a persona that no longer fits, Rodrigo singing with a quaver over a steady but reluctant acoustic guitar.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 21 May 2021
Chasen’s, Trader Vic’s, the damn Derby; the mere mention of even department stores like Bullock’s and the Broadway could bring a tear and a quaver.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2021
Verb
Johnson read from the Book of James, 2:14, her voice quavering a bit before the crowd.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023
Her voice quavered recalling women who killed themselves after G.I.s who had taken them as common-law wives subsequently abandoned them and their children.
—Choe Sang-Hun Jean Chung, New York Times, 2 May 2023
Staticky street sounds from Shuliavka, a neighborhood that endured artillery strikes in the war’s first hours, commingle with quavering loops of electronic vibrations.
—Jason Farago, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2023
Occasionally his voice quavered but mostly Affleck spoke earnestly and straightforwardly.
—Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2020
Most earthquakes, including those that quavered under southern California this week, stem from cracks in the earth’s crust, known as faults.
—Anya Van Wagtendonk, Vox, 4 July 2019
Cracked, punched, slathered, and slabbed, Zhang’s works are visceral embodiments of quavering humanity.
—Julia Couzens, sacbee, 4 May 2018
Prada clothing, meanwhile, looks backward and forward at the same time, quavering between retro and 21st-century originality.
—Brad Dunning, GQ, 28 Mar. 2018
Elizabeth Drumm, the head of the programme, made some introductory remarks, her voice quavering.
—The Economist, 7 Sep. 2017
Noun
There was the troubadour John Brannen, who possessed a rootsy sound and a quaver that channeled Roy Orbison’s.
—Brad Shoup, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2024
As Booth introduces more aspects of Kenneth’s past, his voice takes on an affecting quaver.
—Vulture, 26 May 2023
At 2,000-8,000 Scovilles, the gentle jalapeño quavers before some of the peppers sought by sadomasochistic eaters.
—M. Carrie Allan, Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2023
Brimming with the richness of its foundational roux, there’s a quaver of smoke from the coins of browned andouille sausage.
—Jenn Harriscolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022
Recently, the mayor has had a tickle in her throat that sometimes swells to a quaver in her voice, cutting her off prematurely in conversations and news conferences.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Jan. 2022
There was a quaver in his voice, which defined the depth of his emotion.
—Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 23 Dec. 2021
From there, the song plays like an elegy for a persona that no longer fits, Rodrigo singing with a quaver over a steady but reluctant acoustic guitar.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 21 May 2021
Chasen’s, Trader Vic’s, the damn Derby; the mere mention of even department stores like Bullock’s and the Broadway could bring a tear and a quaver.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quaver.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Quaver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quaver. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
quaver
1 of 2 verb
qua·ver
ˈkwā-vər 
quavered; quavering
ˈkwāv-(ə-)riŋ
2
: to utter sound in trembling unsteady tones
a voice that quavered
3
: to say or sing with a quavering voice
quaveringly
adverb
ˈkwāv-(ə-)riŋ-lē
quaver
2 of 2 noun1
2
: a trembling sound
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