as in earthquake
a shaking of the earth
the quake registered 6.5 on the Richter scale, causing widespread damage
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to shake
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
the horror film was so scary it left us quaking with fear for hours afterwards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quake
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
1 July 2026
After two devastating quakes, first responders were fishermen, doctors and emigres returning from abroad — a grassroots campaign filling a government void.
—
Helena Carpio,
Washington Post,
30 June 2026
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Alex arrives to find Lucy literally quaking in fear, especially when Stephen summons the two of them to come meet his latest prey, whose name is Tegan.
—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quake
Noun
Among the thousands of earthquake victims are Venezuelans who had been deported to Caracas from the United States the same day that the quakes struck.
—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
1 July 2026
After two devastating quakes, first responders were fishermen, doctors and emigres returning from abroad — a grassroots campaign filling a government void.
—
Helena Carpio,
Washington Post,
30 June 2026
Verb
By 2020, another part of the island nation, the Reykjanes Peninsula, had begun to quake.
—
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Alex arrives to find Lucy literally quaking in fear, especially when Stephen summons the two of them to come meet his latest prey, whose name is Tegan.
—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quake
Noun
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As a reminder, the Mission San Juan Capistrano tour ends at the ruins of what’s now called the Great Stone Church, which collapsed in an 1812 earthquake that killed 40 Acjachemen worshippers.
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It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.
Verb
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Hernández said Rossi Ydrogo had just called his brother in Caracas 20 minutes before the earth started to shake.
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In Venezuela, rescue teams have been racing against the clock to pull survivors from the rubble after two powerful earthquakes shook the northern state of La Guaira last Wednesday.
Noun
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Nearly 2,000 people are confirmed dead, with tens of thousands still missing following the tremors.
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Many remain unwilling to return to homes that survived the initial earthquakes but may now be structurally compromised by the continuing tremors.
Verb
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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.
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Design practices Not knowing ahead of time what lunar explorers may face is an unsure, shuddering proposition.
Verb
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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.
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Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.
Verb
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Back in their dorm room after the beating, Valentine watched as Okeadu began to tremble uncontrollably.
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Each time the leaves trembled, the sunlight filtering through them also wavered.
Verb
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But the feeling of release as the bowstrings were left vibrating in my arms was palpable, intensely satisfying.
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These bees vibrate flowers to release the pollen, improving pollination and fruit set.
Verb
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Even now, there are moments during presentations when my voice still quivers.
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Each time, brown leaves that had drifted from distant trees quivered and spun on the surface.
Cite this Entry
“Quake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quake. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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