the shakes
noun
informal
: a condition in which parts of the body move uncontrollably
He drank too much coffee and got a bad case of the shakes.
The whole experience gave me the shakes.
Examples of the shakes in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Wendy's has never outdone McDonald's in size or sales, either, but since its start in 1969, the chain with the square patties and the shakes too thick to be called shakes has had as big an impact as any other on the ways fast food is defined and sold around the world.
—
Bob Vitale, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Hopefully, many will share the shakes, too.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
That said, Pierce might command a huge salary, and the 49ers still have the shakes after their last two big-money deals for wideouts.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Wearing a hoodie and with an extreme case of the shakes, Glynn-Carney’s George seems less like a lawyer than an addict, or a delinquent.
—Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 22 Nov. 2025
Resist The Urge To Stir Caramelizing dry sugar gives many bakers the shakes.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
That's when the shakes must have come in.
—EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Moses said the prosecution presented no evidence that James Craig was the person who dosed the shakes.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 30 July 2025
Their feedback: The taste was great, the flavors mixed well, and the shakes were smooth and not too filling.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 10 June 2025
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.
Bob Vitale, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Hopefully, many will share the shakes, too.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
That said, Pierce might command a huge salary, and the 49ers still have the shakes after their last two big-money deals for wideouts.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Wearing a hoodie and with an extreme case of the shakes, Glynn-Carney’s George seems less like a lawyer than an addict, or a delinquent.
—Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 22 Nov. 2025
Resist The Urge To Stir Caramelizing dry sugar gives many bakers the shakes.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
That's when the shakes must have come in.
—EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Moses said the prosecution presented no evidence that James Craig was the person who dosed the shakes.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 30 July 2025
Their feedback: The taste was great, the flavors mixed well, and the shakes were smooth and not too filling.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“The shakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20shakes. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
