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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
His European odyssey is unfolding as Western democracies are being shaken again by right-wing populism. Stephen Collinson, CNN Money, 7 June 2025 Palomo, the 10-year-old Spanish luxury brand which has been primarily menswear, is shaking things up, most notably with the launch of womenswear for resort 2026. Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 6 June 2025
Noun
Benefits of Mixing Protein Powder With Milk Mixing protein powder with milk will produce a creamier shake with a more pronounced flavor. Helen Carefoot, Verywell Health, 30 Apr. 2025 In the end, by following his brother’s directive to drink muscle-up shakes, people pleasing is nearly the death of him. Cyndy Etler, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake
Verb
  • That was after the pandemic lockdown brought concerts — and much of the world — shuddering to a halt in 2020 and much of 2021 (and before the COVID resurgence that followed).
    George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
  • Trump’s early-morning social-media missive caused markets to shudder.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • Snow cowered in the back, avoiding eye contact when Kiersten tried reaching her hand out.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
  • But the majority of Tributary buyers prefer a turnkey home, avoiding the time and effort required to build a custom residence.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • The song runs on for more than six minutes on the album, including a perfectly gnarly guitar solo from Freeman himself.
    Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 30 May 2025
  • Trolley lines where trains are now scheduled to arrive every 15 minutes could be scaled back to 30-minute headways.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • In 2023, powerful quakes killed more than 53,000 people in southeastern Turkey.
    Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 May 2025
  • What the quake failed to do, the violence is now doing: marginalizing Port-au-Prince.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Avoid jerking the floss or aggressive movements; instead, use smooth, gentle motions.
    Sherri Gordon, Health, 5 May 2025
  • However, the pendulum appears to be jerking back toward the physically and mentally unhealthy skinny extreme–and a new TikTok trend serves as the latest example: SkinnyTok.
    Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The last few months have borne witness to AI systems learning to mislead, cheat, and try to evade shutdown—even resorting to blackmail.
    Harry Booth, Time, 3 June 2025
  • Massey has evaded hundreds of authorities in a multistate manhunt.
    Holly Yan, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Noun
  • The emotional heartbeat of the gang, Cancer is the one hugging people after blindsides and crying at the final tribal.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 31 May 2025
  • The app detects arrhythmias and irregular heartbeats, early signs of heart failure, indicators of coronary artery disease and heart valve abnormalities.
    Ramsha Waseem, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • Buying earthquake insurance can protect homeowners.
    Terry Collins, USA Today, 8 June 2025
  • The Mount Kinabalu earthquake of 2015 claimed 18 lives, including Singaporean students and teachers who had traveled to Borneo on a school expedition.
    Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 7 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

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