quavering 1 of 2

adjective

as in resonant

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quavering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of quaver
as in trilling
to sing with the alternation of two musical tones know-it-alls snickered as the opera singer quavered on the high note

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 quavering
Adjective
Unmoored from tradition and offering only vague, impressionistic lyrics, Granli’s quavering performances on Rosacea become Rorschach tests, ripe for free association with whatever images your psyche can dredge up. — H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
Tiny Silver was a birdlike woman, either very young or very old, quavering. — Literary Hub, 13 July 2026 Softly so as not to drown out the quavering notes, the congregation put words to the melody. — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2026 The combination of quavering flutes and solemn, unfamiliar corridors is disquieting. — Hazlitt, 10 Dec. 2025 Funke, her voice quavering throughout, recounted the events of the previous night. — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2025 Her voice quavering with emotion, Pawol talked about getting the news during a Wednesday conference call with director of umpire development Rich Rieker and vice president of umpire operations Matt McKendry. — Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quavering
  1. resonant
  2. trilling
  3. sonorous
  4. warbling
  5. melodic
  6. dulcet
  7. rhythmic
  8. appealing
Adjective
  • Why Cultural Resonance Builds Trust ​So, what’s the most important reason to use culturally resonant branding?
    — Salvador Ordorica, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • George Lucas and Mellody Hobson used the night to defend their ambitious narrative art museum, arguing that illustration and pop culture belong alongside masterworks as legitimate, emotionally resonant art.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of resonant
Verb
  • The chihuahuan raven has a somewhat different vocalization, with more of a trilling quality to its croak.
    — Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Rock Harbor to Daisy Farm Campground This trail almost entirely follows the coast for 7 miles, with a soundtrack of lapping waves, trilling loons, and the occasional outboard motor.
    — Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 7 June 2026
Definition of trilling
Adjective
  • This shimmering, sonorous work, from one of our greatest living directors, moves through the peculiar landscapes of human interaction with certainty, eccentricity and grace, alighting on a generous if rueful conclusion.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Assuming the role of a human clapper, Holzinger struck its lip again and again, sending a sonorous peal across the Biennale grounds.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2026
Definition of sonorous
Adjective
  • Nine’s creaking, warbling cadence makes for a Thug/Carti hybrid that’s distinct but still close enough to be familiar and palatable.
    — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2026
  • The song may be six minutes long, but the circuitous lope of his acoustic-guitar strum and low throb of his warbling feel eternal, like the type of tune Sisyphus might have hummed to keep himself company.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Definition of warbling
Adjective
  • Kakul Srivastava is the CEO of Splice, the sample platform countless producers rely on for one-shots and melodic loops.
    — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 3 Oct. 2026
  • His style, reminiscent of Nick Cave, is incantatory, and the result is that the not-especially-melodic songs tend to bleed into each other with a sameness that ultimately proves monotonous.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of melodic
Adjective
  • The enchanting woodsy and pastoral backgrounds when the action moves from the residential suburbs to the rural outskirts add to that poignancy, as do the dulcet tones of Randy Newman’s score.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
  • Wishing you a week of dulcet tones, giddy resistance, and a thousand pancakes.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of dulcet
Adjective
  • Haring, whose artwork is characterized by bold outlines and rhythmic figures punctuated by playful wit, has become synonymous with the 1980s New York downtown art scene.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • At first, people used drum machines as metronomes — to keep a drummer from speeding up or slowing down and to keep everyone on the same rhythmic wavelength.
    — Kristin Robinson, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of rhythmic
Adjective
  • In the eyes of powerful players such as Europe and the United States, Brazil was an appealing place for investment and a growing force in multilateral diplomacy.
    — MATIAS SPEKTOR, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Any growth initiatives had to be funded through partners’ capital – hardly an appealing prospect for those same partners – which resulted in a long period of low growth into new business lines.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of appealing

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Cite this Entry

“Quavering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quavering. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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