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
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
Shakespeare has Lear ask his shivering Fool, freshly aware thanks to his ordeal on the heath—a kind of exposure therapy—of the physical vulnerability of his subjects.
—Andrew Kay, Harpers Magazine, 28 May 2025
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 July 2025
Does the thought of wearing heels all day run a shiver down your spine?
—Izzy Baskette, People.com, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shiver
Noun
Alongside the radiant climaxes, the chorus achieves spells of shivering inwardness.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
Shakespeare has Lear ask his shivering Fool, freshly aware thanks to his ordeal on the heath—a kind of exposure therapy—of the physical vulnerability of his subjects.
—Andrew Kay, Harpers Magazine, 28 May 2025
Verb
Everyone in the church was just shivers for what this woman's going through.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 July 2025
Does the thought of wearing heels all day run a shiver down your spine?
—Izzy Baskette, People.com, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shiver
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shiver
Noun
-
The City of Big Shoulders has erected and endured a legacy of racial violence and segregation that would make any good liberal shudder in embarrassment.—
Jackson Potter,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Aug. 2025
-
This textural trend is known for its popularity in the 1970s, when homeowners and designers experimented with installing shag carpets on unexpected surfaces, such as ceilings and bathroom floors (shudder).—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In the elevator of the Associated Press Building at Rockefeller Plaza, Sunny’s brows trembled.—
Kiran Desai,
New Yorker,
3 Aug. 2025
-
But then the cheers from his fans would begin, and Hogan would tremble with energy.—
John DeVore,
Rolling Stone,
26 July 2025
Verb
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Others view it as a brazen attempt to split up Kansas City’s minority voters.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
-
That resulted in a hung parliament split between the National Rally, the left-wing New Popular Front, and Macron’s Renaissance bloc.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Over time, high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can damage nerves, kidneys, eyes, feet, skin, and other organs.—
Amber J. Tresca,
Verywell Health,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Whatever the manifestation—hair-tucking, shorts-pulling, ball-bouncing, bobbing, pocket-checking, or something else entirely—the familiarity of these motions can have a soothing effect, calming the player’s nerves before a big shot.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
On back-to-back pass plays, though, Ward held the ball too long and couldn’t shake the Broncos’ pass rush, resulting in back-to-back sacks that took the Titans outside field goal range.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
After a while, the lady shook her head.—
Bryan Washington,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Cabinet is a quivering collection of yea-sayers.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
3 Aug. 2025
-
Hamill delivers this monologue with real passion, his raspy voice quivering with sincerity.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
28 July 2025
Verb
-
The occupiers tore down fences, carved new roads on the reserve and posted armed guards during their 41-day occupation, former Idaho Statesman reporter Rocky Barker wrote at the time.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Sep. 2025
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But the new private terminal is winning their support, with the backing of historians and preservationists who have been fighting to maintain South Florida’s aviation legacy in a region known for tearing down buildings.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The defensive star’s recent trade from Dallas to Green Bay quaked the NFL.—
Greg Cote
September 4,
Miami Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
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When President Donald Trump last rolled out tariffs this high, financial markets quaked, consumer confidence crashed and his popularity plunged.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shiver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shiver. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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