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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
When Unique told Raq that Kanan came to him asking to team up, that shook her. Julia Moore, People.com, 16 May 2025 Then, at a family wedding in September 2022, Ms. Soudani was shaken to see her brother humbled. Christopher Maag, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Noun
Brevard Location: 122 miles from Charlotte What to do: Get nostalgic with a burger and a shake at Cardinal Drive-In. Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2025 Look for paleta shakes, waffle bowls and burritos, vegan dark chocolate and cookie butter, as well as mango, passion fruit and more. Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake
Verb
  • One shudders to think how Ross, whom Grant divorced in 1929, and who died in 1951, would have reacted to so echoing a lack.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
  • The sound seemed to shudder like a pot about to blow its lid.
    Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Make sure to maintain an upright torso and avoid leaning forward or backward.
    Laura Schober, Health, 13 May 2025
  • The key question is whether the data behind digital twins is sound enough to avoid the pitfalls that result in data decay over time (i.e., entropy).
    Mika Newton, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • Related Articles But an explosive seven minutes clinched the Panthers’ victory, sending Florida to its third straight Eastern Conference final with a 6-1 win over the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Sunday.
    Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 19 May 2025
  • Picking up that camera turned out to be a fateful move and the results of that documentation — all 145 minutes of it, shaped from 800 hours of footage — will be unveiled at Cannes with LaBeouf taking a seat in Buñuel Theatre.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025
Noun
  • Analysts have warned that victory for Simion this weekend could lead to a much more dramatic financial quake on Monday.
    Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
  • The largest earthquake ever reported in the area was a 5.4 magnitude quake in southern Illinois in 1968, according to USGS.
    Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • Earthquakes cause the ground to move in unpredictable ways, sometimes sharply jerking, other times swaying like a ship in rough seas.
    Maya Wei-Haas, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Confused Lochlan, who thoughtfully jerked off his older brother so that Saxon wouldn’t feel left out.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Engineered to evade interception by U.S. defenses such as THAAD, the missile presents a direct challenge to Western military dominance and poses a potential threat to regional allies like Israel.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
  • Vita's Ukrainian mother (my grandmother) survived as an orphan for two years under German occupation and barely evaded being carted off to Germany to work as a forced laborer.
    Sasha Vasilyuk, Time, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • Vance is the first millennial to stand a heartbeat from the presidency.
    Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 18 May 2025
  • Lisa Schein, 43, placed a stethoscope on Mireya Moody’s chest and listened carefully to the heartbeat that once belonged to her own daughter, Maddy.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • Even temporary exemptions, like those issued after the 2023 earthquake, have had limited effect due to over-compliance by global banks and businesses.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
  • Masudi,also helped coordinate disaster aid after the 2023 earthquake in the Herat Province, was one of the recipients of the Diana Award in 2024.
    Rana Wehbe Watson, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

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