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
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Recent Examples of shake
Marc Lester, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025
The experience of entering battle knowing that men under his command will likely die shook his faith.
—Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Apr. 2025
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
These date shakes are deliciously creamy concoctions made of milk or ice cream and blended with date crystals invented by Shield’s Date Garden.
—Pat Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shake
Verb
Confidence in core institutions is badly shaken, and many Americans are eager for leaders who can restore stability and uphold fundamental rights.
—Marc Lester, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025
The experience of entering battle knowing that men under his command will likely die shook his faith.
—Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
Lochlan unsuspectingly drinks the rancid drink because protein shakes are gross anyway.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
These date shakes are deliciously creamy concoctions made of milk or ice cream and blended with date crystals invented by Shield’s Date Garden.
—Pat Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake
Verb
-
Old Thunderbird shuddered under the force of the impact and then fell over onto his side.—
Thomas Weddle,
Outdoor Life,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Brides-to-be who lived through the early aughts may understandably shudder at the thought.—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Houston threw numbers behind the ball for most of the game to avoid getting hit by the deadly counterattacks and transitions KC has been known for.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Get to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and avoid windows.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Beauvillier and Strome, typically with Ovechkin as their left wing, have been highly effective and highly productive across both games — and that’s after only getting about 24 minutes together in the regular season.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Significant improvements are still needed, however, as someone in the country is dying of stroke about every three minutes.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Footage posted to social media from Istanbul showed people running and screaming in the moments after the biggest quake.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
-
No one was injured in the quake, which was followed by no fewer than seven aftershocks, and no major damage was reported.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
As soon as Tatiana Pino turned her dark blue Land Rover Defender into her long asphalt driveway, the flatbed truck jerked into reverse and slammed into the passenger side of her SUV, according to footage of the Aug. 30, 2023, hit-and-run obtained by the Herald.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2025
-
This apparently spooked an SUV driver in the next lane, who jerked the wheel to the left and ran into the opposite curb.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Security scrutinized: Suspect eluded officers protecting Shapiro Balmer started fires while troopers searched Troopers were able to safely evacuate Shapiro's family and others in the mansion, but the fire raises the question of how Balmer was able to evade security.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2025
-
Most of these are fine goals, and some (such as finally terminating the university’s efforts to evade a Supreme Court–ordered end to its use of race discrimination in admissions) ought to be uncontroversial.—
The Editors,
National Review,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
America’s economic heartbeat is slowing - quietly, but measurably.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Vicky Barnes was the heartbeat of the diner who knew just about every customer who walked through the door.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Shocked by this week’s earthquake, zoo elephants formed an ‘alert circle’ to protect their young at San Diego Zoo Get ready for the L.A. Times Festival of Books Our annual book festival is next weekend!—
Alyssa Bereznak,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2025
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There was more spice to the match-up between the pair after an awkward public falling out during an exhibition at Indian Wells in 2010 for the Haiti earthquake disaster.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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