as in shiver
an instance of shaking involuntarily with fear or cold
a shudder ran through him as he stepped outside into the snow
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to shake
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
huddled in the basement, we shuddered with fear as we heard the approaching tornado
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shudder
Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
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
Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2025
Then, that all shuddered to a halt in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shudder
Noun
Do not get engaged at 21 (Belly and Jeremiah again, with the tiny ring that made TikTok shudder).
—Verb
In a time where layoffs are much higher than average, the thought of throwing a holiday party or giving employee gifts may make some executives shudder.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for shudder
Noun
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For more cold-climate shivers also see Finnish Weird, a quirky and often surprisingly spooky literary trove from the lands of the midnight sun.—
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Just hearing ‘set piece’ sends a shiver down Liverpool supporters’ spines.—
Verb
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The crime was not the only one that shook the state over the weekend.—
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Isabel initially thought the sounds shaking her surroundings were thunder.—
Noun
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Furman is one of a kind: a trans, devoutly Jewish former rabbinical student who’s written a book about Lou Reed and sings folk-punk songs in a mercurial tremble.—
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Valeria leaves guard duties to Ellen, a grandmother with a constant tremble in her hands from her MS.—
Verb
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Aisha jerked and opened her eyes.—
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That jerking motion, combined with detergent and water, loosens dirt from the surfaces of clothing.—
Verb
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Facta and Tamaranamen both turn Two Shell tunes into cutesy, Dntel-adjacent electronica, the former’s low-end reinforced with a rough-around-the-edges-bassline and the latter with a quivering lead that sounds like a music box.—
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Danes is a four-time Golden Globe winner who brought her quivering lower lip to bear on the role of an author who thinks her next-door neighbor killed his wife.—
Verb
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From vibrating steering wheels, haptic smartwatches, and even gaming controllers.—
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The vibrating bristles of this electric version can break up and sweep away plaque more effectively.—
Cite this Entry
“Shudder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shudder. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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