SHAKEN Synonyms: 95 Similar and Opposite Words

shaken

verb

past participle of shake

as in shuddered

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

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as in escaped

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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of shaken The thought appears to have shaken Megan to her very core. — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 25 June 2026 Qatar stepped in as the ceasefire was shaken Within weeks, prospects of a permanent end to the war appeared to be slipping. — E. Eduardo Castillo, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026 And he was visibly shaken after seeing the aftermath of the earthquakes. — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2026 Two straight group-stage exits have shaken the confidence of what had been arguably the most consistent national team on the planet. — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 29 June 2026 Oakes recalled that the encounter lasted for about a minute before the grizzly bear retreated, leaving her and Skoki shaken but unharmed. — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 30 June 2026 The theft has left manager Mona Lin shaken, having never expected something like this to happen in Eagan. — Jason Rantala, CBS News, 1 July 2026 The shortages, reaching even Siberian regions untouched by strikes, have shaken everyday Russians and forced the Kremlin to acknowledge mounting economic strain as the war enters its fifth year. — Dasha Litvinova, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 Crafted with Grey Goose vodka and Carpano Dry Vermouth, the cocktail is prepared to each guest’s preference—whether dry, dirty, extra dirty, shaken or stirred—from the restaurant’s signature martini cart. — Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaken

Verb

The way the stadium shuddered with noise.

— Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 7 May 2026
At least the elevator still creaked and shuddered, as in the old days, finally trembling open on the eighth floor.

— Rick Bragg, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026

Definition of shuddered

Verb

William Carney, a man who escaped slavery to become a Union soldier in the Civil War and who was awarded the Medal of Honor for protecting the American flag from touching the ground during battle.

— Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Born enslaved in Maryland, Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) escaped to the North and emerged as the nation’s leading abolitionist and major literary political figure of his time.

— Melia Patria, ABC News, 4 July 2026

Definition of escaped

Verb

Once the squid gather near the surface, lines fitted with bait are lowered into the water and rapidly jerked up and down to imitate small prey such as shrimp, triggering strikes before the catch is reeled aboard.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 20 June 2026
Suddenly, the tent jerked and wobbled.

— Dolores Brown, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026

Definition of jerked

Verb

On the phone, my friend Monika is telling me about a lost dog in her Salt Lake City neighborhood, a blue heeler who’s been seen limping and has evaded capture.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 June 2026
Russia intercepts most Ukrainian long-range drones but some have evaded Russian air defenses.

— Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 27 June 2026

Definition of evaded

Verb

Some gold ETFs directly invest in bullion kept in vaults, while others invest in shares of mining companies that tend to follow the price of gold while also being swayed by the companies’ management decisions, efficiency and financials.

— Liz Knueven, CNBC, 2 July 2026
That was apparent at a town hall debate Tuesday evening at Florida Memorial University, which some attendees said may have swayed them from one particular candidate to being open to hearing what the others had to say.

— Raisa Habersham July 1, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026

Definition of swayed

Verb

Indeed, the folks in Akron, Amherst and Monroe, among other locales, have long awaited the winds of change, which have avoided blowing out the stale air caused by chronic losing.

— Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo avoided a suspension for the start of this year’s tournament after a foul during a World Cup qualifier match.

— Yash Roy, Fortune, 5 July 2026