quake

1 of 2

verb

quaked; quaking

intransitive verb

1
: to shake or vibrate usually from shock or instability
2
: to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear

quake

2 of 2

noun

: an instance of shaking or trembling (as of the earth or moon)
especially : earthquake

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
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Harper crumbled to one knee, wincing in anguish, as Phillies fans quaked with their worst possible nightmare — that their superstar first-baseman is seriously injured. Anthony Stitt, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025 Mountains rise, volcanoes spew, and Earth itself quakes as the crust constantly remakes itself in the ceaseless cycle of plate tectonics. Elise Cutts, Scientific American, 13 May 2025
Noun
The six-mile deep quake hit three miles from Fairview, which is about a 30-mile drive southeast from San Francisco, at 10:55 p.m. on Monday, June 30, according to the USGS. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025 There has never been a quake that seriously damaged a delta levee. George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for quake

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English cwacian

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quake was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quake. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

quake

1 of 2 verb
quaked; quaking
1
: to shake or vibrate usually from shock or lack of stability
2
: to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear

quake

2 of 2 noun
: a shaking or trembling
especially : earthquake

More from Merriam-Webster on quake

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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