1
as in shudder
an instance of shaking involuntarily with fear or cold
the prisoner experienced a sudden shiver when confronted with the sight of the dark basement
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in butterflies
shivers plural
a sense of panic or extreme nervousness
looking down from the window ledge sent shivers up my spine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shiver
Ted Katauskas, Outside, 23 Sep. 2025
What she’s produced is a searching, pointedly disorienting text, studded with passages of extreme beauty and generous humor, that wears whimsy like a shivering veil over consuming discomfort, even terror.
—Paul McAdory, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for shiver
Noun
Stepping out of the cocoon-like warmth of the Sequoia into the pre-dawn chill, Michelle shivered in black Nike spandex pants and a red T-shirt layered over a spandex top.
—Ted Katauskas, Outside, 23 Sep. 2025
What she’s produced is a searching, pointedly disorienting text, studded with passages of extreme beauty and generous humor, that wears whimsy like a shivering veil over consuming discomfort, even terror.
—Paul McAdory, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
See All Example Sentences for shiver
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shiver
Noun
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Do not get engaged at 21 (Belly and Jeremiah again, with the tiny ring that made TikTok shudder).—
Vogue,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
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The details of this feat, performed before a crowd in downtown Phoenix, still make those with acrophobia shudder.—
Douglas C. Towne,
AZCentral.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The kind of person who trembles at watermarks is not the sort of person who dares to put marble in the dishwasher.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
16 Oct. 2025
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The Maine trembled and angled up, then listed to port, throwing him from his chair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The teams split the first two games in Toronto.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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Earlier surveys reflected similar divisions, underscoring a community sharply split over his candidacy.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As estrogen decreases during menopause, nerves in the hypothalamus — an almond-size region deep inside the brain whose functions include helping regulate the body’s thermostat — become hyperactive and produce an overabundance of chemical signals called neurokinins.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
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In these conditions, the gut’s nerves and the brain’s emotion-processing circuits are in unusually close communication.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The earthquake shook at a depth of just 4 miles, with its epicenter roughly 9 miles west of Johannesburg.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 Oct. 2025
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Nearly two years later, there’s still evidence at the crime scene that shook this small island country — ash on jutting rocks, melted scraps of plastic and fabric scattered in the verdant shrubbery where wild dogs stalk giant lizards.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The music of home often quivers with nostalgia.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
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There’s a breathless mood in the air that quivers and quakes at the protests to come.—
Sara Stridsberg
September 15,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That history came to an end after wrecking crews tore down the wing’s two stories of offices and reception rooms last week.—
Darlene Superville,
Denver Post,
26 Oct. 2025
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For the first time since general manager Joe Cronin began tearing down a playoff roster five years ago, the team is competent.—
Jason Quick,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The majority of the action, however, unfolds in a claustrophobic one-shot inside a tent, with our heroes quaking at the whoops and cries surrounding them.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
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The agitated, ominous vibration of giant power lines and quaking transmission towers feels like a Greek chorus throughout Paul Greengrass’s intense new wildfire thriller, The Lost Bus.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shiver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shiver. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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