\ ˈkwāk 
\
\quaked; quaking
Definition of quake
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : to shake or vibrate usually from shock or instability
2 : to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear
quake
nounDefinition of quake (Entry 2 of 2)
: an instance of shaking or trembling (as of the earth or moon) especially : earthquake
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Synonyms for quake
Synonyms: Verb
- agitate,
- bucket,
- convulse,
- jerk,
- jiggle,
- joggle,
- jolt,
- jounce,
- judder
- [chiefly British],
- quiver,
- shake,
- shudder,
- vibrate,
- wobble
- (also wabble)
Synonyms: Noun
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Examples of quake in a Sentence
Verb
She was quaking with rage.
The explosion made the whole house quake. Noun
the quake registered 6.5 on the Richter scale, causing widespread damage
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Generally in Utah, earthquakes greater than magnitude 5 happen once every 10 years, and quakes greater than magnitude 6 happen once every 50 years, the USGS says.
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Jason Hanna And Konstantin Toropin, CNN, "A 5.7 magnitude earthquake shakes Utah, knocking out power in places," 18 Mar. 2020 The East Bay and San Benito County quakes were not related and are not part of the same fault system.
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Los Angeles Times, "Bay Area earthquakes are latest warning of destructive seismic danger in East Bay," 15 Oct. 2019 The Sox, accused of using their video replay room to steal signs under Cora in 2018, should be quaking in their cleats.
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Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "Punishment for Astros shows MLB’s sign-stealing days are over — and the Red Sox are next," 13 Jan. 2020 The book, which is slim and focussed, quakes with a nervous energy that often erupts into euphoria.
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Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, "The Best Books of 2019," 2 Dec. 2019 Who dropped his Doritos with quaking hands and a quivering lip when Lady Edith Crawley (Laura Carmichael) was left at the altar?
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BostonGlobe.com, "The fears of a ‘Downton’ super fan, and the dangers of exhuming pop culture memories - The Boston Globe," 20 Sep. 2019 Earthquake scientists said the East Bay and San Benito County quakes were not related and are not part of the same fault system.
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Los Angeles Times, "Second earthquake felt across Northern California; 4.7 temblor hits near Hollister," 15 Oct. 2019 Mugabe's wife Grace covered her face with a veil, but her body quaked with sobs as family members gave their eulogy.
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Mark Chingono And Bukola Adebayo, CNN, "Zimbabwe's former President Robert Mugabe buried in his hometown," 28 Sep. 2019 Picking up the ball in his own half, Ronaldo danced away from a challenge, released himself from the grip of the most cynical shirt-pull of all time, and set off on a storming charge towards a visibly quaking backline.
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SI.com, "Ronaldo: Looking Back at 6 of he Brazilian's Most Iconic Moments on His Birthday," 18 Sep. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The earthquake was not an aftershock of the 7.0 quake that caused significant damage throughout the Anchorage area in November 2018, said earthquake center seismologist Natalia Ruppert.
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Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, "4.0 earthquake centered in Chugach State Park shakes Anchorage," 15 Oct. 2020 The damage to the Rio Grande Depot was mostly plaster falling from the interior walls that had lead paint, Utah Heritage and Arts said on its website after the quake.
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The Salt Lake Tribune, "Salt Lake City’s iconic ‘Santa Shack’ is home to a new Keto bakery," 9 Oct. 2020 Quake and flood coverage: Your homeowners or renters insurance company can provide a National Flood Insurance Policy and a quake policy from the California Earthquake Authority.
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Kathleen Pender, SFChronicle.com, "Get financial, insurance documents in order before a disaster strikes," 9 Oct. 2020 But the new study found that even buildings erected on relatively shallow areas are vulnerable to the energy generated by a big quake.
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Eric Niiler, Wired, "The Most Sway-Prone Buildings in LA Aren’t Where You Expect," 9 Oct. 2020 Friday's quake is one of the largest to hit the Los Angeles Basin in a few years.
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CBS News, "Magnitude 4.5 earthquake strikes Southern California," 19 Sep. 2020 In West Los Angeles, the quake produced a rolling motion that lasted about 10 seconds.
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Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY, "Southern California jolted by magnitude 4.6 earthquake, another worry after raging wildfires," 19 Sep. 2020 While coastal areas could see impacts in less than 30 minutes, highly populated areas such as Seattle would see the wave arrive some two hours and 20 minutes after the initial quake.
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Fox News, "Tsunami could overwhelm Washington coast, swamp state when 'the big one' strikes, simulations show," 3 Sep. 2020 That quake was estimated to have a magnitude between 6 and 7.
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Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al, "Earthquake near Florida border tied for Alabama’s 13th largest," 3 Sep. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quake.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for quake
quake
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of quake
: to shake because of fear, anger, etc.
: to shake violently
See the full definition for quake in the English Language Learners Dictionary
quake
verb\ ˈkwāk \
\quaked; quaking
Kids Definition of quake
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : to shake usually from shock or lack of stability
The explosion made the house quake.
2 : to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear
Regardless, the guards' faces were stern and hard, and she quaked inside.— Grace Lin, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
quake
nounKids Definition of quake (Entry 2 of 2)
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Time Traveler for quake
The first known use of quake was before the 12th century
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