as in nerves
a sense of panic or extreme nervousness
looking down from the window ledge sent shivers up my spine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 shivers
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2026
Loznitsa’s methods are grim and exacting, but the effect is never monotonous; there are shivers of Hitchcockian suspense, plus a whispery cackle of satire that veers toward the Kafkaesque.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Algebra in between scenes… sends shivers down my spine!
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Their accounts gave me shivers of recognition—their experiences echoed my father’s stories.
—Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
Earlier this week, Anthropic released new plugins for specific industries, from legal to finance to biotech research, sending shivers down the spine of Wall Street.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Shake off the winter shivers, Boise.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 22 Jan. 2026
Every year, homes are affected as the early shivers give way to the bitter cold of January and February.
—Connie Etemadi, Freep.com, 17 Jan. 2026
That phrase, narrative control at scale, should send shivers down your spine.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Noun
And some shivers, because that title isn’t a misdirect.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2026
Loznitsa’s methods are grim and exacting, but the effect is never monotonous; there are shivers of Hitchcockian suspense, plus a whispery cackle of satire that veers toward the Kafkaesque.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Algebra in between scenes… sends shivers down my spine!
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Their accounts gave me shivers of recognition—their experiences echoed my father’s stories.
—Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
Earlier this week, Anthropic released new plugins for specific industries, from legal to finance to biotech research, sending shivers down the spine of Wall Street.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Shake off the winter shivers, Boise.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 22 Jan. 2026
Every year, homes are affected as the early shivers give way to the bitter cold of January and February.
—Connie Etemadi, Freep.com, 17 Jan. 2026
That phrase, narrative control at scale, should send shivers down your spine.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shivers
Noun
-
The nerves were there, but so was the excitement.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In the fullness of time, Nancy had a Nest camera installed—one of those all-seeing eyes meant to guard the property and calm anxious nerves and provide real safety from intrusion.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The mind shudders at the thought.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
-
So one shudders to think what might happen when the Dolphins now face a murderer’s row of elite running backs and mobile quarterbacks.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Throughout her lifetime, muralist and collector Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad — who splits her time between Minnesota and California — has built a collection of paintings, sculptures and religious art that showcases the intersection of the geography of the American West with Latin American culture.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Christian Brothers is among the largest private schools in New Jersey, a state that splits its playoffs into private and public school divisions.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Rototilling also destroys earthworms and the critical beneficial microbes that interact with plant roots to keep them healthy.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Because scarring alopecia destroys the hair follicles, the resulting hair loss is permanent.—
Rebecca Strong,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hayden, working the grill behind her husband, laughs and shakes her head with a slight eye roll the way only a loving wife can.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In the process, the capsule shakes pretty aggressively.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Endlessly switching between apps and online platforms splinters our attention and can lead to digital exhaustion, leaving us anxious, apathetic and unfocused.—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Megyn Kelly is continuing her hard-right tack, lashing back at Ben Shapiro and aligning herself with Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon as the MAGA movement dramatically splinters.—
Kimberly Nordyke,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Risk factors for cardiac arrest A frequent trigger is rhythm disturbance—especially ventricular fibrillation—in which the heart quivers instead of beating effectively.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The music of home often quivers with nostalgia.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Heat from the sun vaporizes ice material in the comet's solid nucleus, releasing masses of gas and dust that forms a reflective cocoon, or coma, around the nucleus.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
20 Jan. 2026
-
This vaporizes, driving an expander that spins a generator to produce energy.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shivers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shivers. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
