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shake

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word shake different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of shake are agitate, convulse, and rock. While all these words mean "to move up and down or to and fro with some violence," shake often carries a further implication of a particular purpose.

shake well before using

When could agitate be used to replace shake?

The words agitate and shake can be used in similar contexts, but agitate suggests a violent and prolonged tossing or stirring.

an ocean agitated by storms

When can convulse be used instead of shake?

The words convulse and shake are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, convulse suggests a violent pulling or wrenching as of a body in a paroxysm.

spectators were convulsed with laughter

When might rock be a better fit than shake?

In some situations, the words rock and shake are roughly equivalent. However, rock suggests a swinging or swaying motion resulting from violent impact or upheaval.

the whole city was rocked by the explosion

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shake
Verb
The multiagency operation led to the arrest of 37 undocumented immigrants – but also left the building’s tenants and neighbors shaken. Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025 The work captures life between Mount Vesuvius and the Gulf of Naples, where the ground shakes periodically and the fumaroles of the Phlegraean Fields taint the air. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
Combine the tins and dry shake for about 10 seconds. Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 Rewards program with at least eight points can get a regular-size shake with a purchase on their birthday. Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake
Verb
  • Earth shuddered with yet another wave of extinctions in this initial chill.
    Peter Brannen, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Walking into Lincoln with a freshman quarterback and a fill-in head coach is the kind of situation that would make most teams shudder.
    Austin Meek, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Refrain from entering water that may have electricity in it and avoid walking through floodwaters.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Engelbert said Friday that the league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association continue to meet and negotiate with the hopes of avoiding a work stoppage.
    Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Yet there was Priester, about 30 minutes before the first pitch, warming up in center field, in full view of the Cubs and everyone else at American Family Field.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • There was a four-minute highlight video looking back at the season.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Hearing McCartney play Beatles classics, in particular, sends shivers down one’s spine.
    John Wenzel, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
  • National Hispanic Heritage Month falls at the perfect time for catching up on all the summer fantasy romance reads before Halloween swoops in to give us the shivers.
    Lia Amador, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • When aftershock data is available, the corresponding maps and charts include earthquakes within 100 miles and seven days of the initial quake.
    William B. Davis, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The quake cut power across parts of Cebu province and sent residents fleeing into the streets in the dark.
    Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • He, too, was bowled over by the film's tear-jerking finale.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Travis jerked open the door and slid on his butt down a wing that was on fire.
    Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Slimy Lunch Meats Lunch meats are one of those things that often evade clean-outs.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2025
  • But when the Coast Guard approached on a 45-foot response boat, authorities said, the cuddy cabin boat began racing south to evade arrest.
    Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The team is inspired by its heartbeat.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Magnesium helps regulate blood pressure, maintain a steady heartbeat, and keep blood vessels functioning properly.
    Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 6 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on shake

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