1
as in to shudder
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
the bus rattled and shook as it barreled down a rutted road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to avoid
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery
we shook our pursuers by cutting through the abandoned lot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in minute
a very small space of time
I'll be there in two shakes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shivers
shakes plural
a sense of panic or extreme nervousness
I get the shakes every time I hear her voice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in quake
a shaking of the earth
the shake was a modest 3.1 on the Richter scale
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 shake
Drew Aunkst,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
The lived reality is shaking, sweating and soreness the next morning.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 June 2026
Pamela Brown,
Hartford Courant,
19 June 2026
Tucked away behind walls and gates at the end of a cul-de-sac on nearly an acre, the two-story stucco and shake-roof structure was completed in 1960.
—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake
Verb
Baltimore County leaders met with residents Monday night to discuss public safety concerns following several high-profile incidents that have shaken community confidence, even as officials say overall crime is declining.
—
Drew Aunkst,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
The lived reality is shaking, sweating and soreness the next morning.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 June 2026
Noun
Also on the menu is ice cream, sundaes, cookies a la mode, cookie sundaes, cookie ice cream sandwiches, shakes, and different seasonal creations throughout the year.
—
Pamela Brown,
Hartford Courant,
19 June 2026
Tucked away behind walls and gates at the end of a cul-de-sac on nearly an acre, the two-story stucco and shake-roof structure was completed in 1960.
—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake
Verb
-
A lot of people are upset by the notion of bringing cage fights to the White House, shuddering at the bad taste of it all.
-
Design practices Not knowing ahead of time what lunar explorers may face is an unsure, shuddering proposition.
Verb
-
To avoid a deluge of applications from every theater in America, Cockrum decided to make grants by invitation.
-
Refrain from entering water that may have electricity in it and avoid walking through floodwaters.
Noun
-
Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
-
That assessment comes from Nielsen’s TV and streaming measurement system, which calculates how many people have watched for at least one minute.
Noun
-
This is sending shivers down the spines of regular Democrats, who now sheepishly admit the party has been turned over to the left-wing loons.
-
The warning that exuberant investors might not be quite rational sent temporary shivers through global stock markets.
Noun
-
Several residents reported experiencing the quake in and around the Ridgecrest area according to the USGS DYFI report.
-
Now, researchers report that such a quake could be more widespread and damaging than previously thought.
Verb
-
Watching their relationship devolve (never more so than when their sperm donor, a rakish, motorcycle-driving restaurant owner played by Mark Ruffalo, enters the scene) is most definitely a tear-jerking experience, as is the film’s final scene.
-
Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.
Verb
-
The suspect, 30‑year‑old Trevion Mark of Fort Worth, was arrested nearby without incident and charged with reckless endangerment and evading arrest in a motor vehicle, according to DPS.
-
Mark was charged with reckless endangerment and evading arrest in a motor vehicle and booked into the Tarrant County Jail.
Noun
-
And that place is definitely close to the heartbeat of the city.
-
Symptoms can include fever, rash, facial paralysis, an irregular heartbeat and arthritis, according to the CDC.
Cite this Entry
“Shake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
