quake

1 of 2

verb

ˈkwāk 

quaked; quaking

intransitive verb

1

: to shake or vibrate usually from shock or instability

2

: to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear

quake

2 of 2

noun

: an instance of shaking or trembling (as of the earth or moon)

especially : earthquake

Synonyms

Verb

• agitate
• bucket
• convulse
• jerk
• jiggle
• joggle
• jolt
• jounce
• judder [chiefly British]
• quiver
• shake
• shudder
• vibrate
• wobble
• wabble

Noun

• earthquake
• shake
• temblor
• tremor

Examples of quake in a Sentence

Verb

She was quaking with rage.

The explosion made the whole house quake.

Noun

the quake registered 6.5 on the Richter scale, causing widespread damage

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

From a distance, Macdonald’s own life has the shudder of a dark fairy tale, answered by the quaking in his books. —Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025

In this puzzle, however, the things that are shaking are quaking ASPENS. —Deb Amlen, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2025

Noun

The quake could exacerbate hunger and disease outbreaks in a country that was already one of the world’s most challenging places for humanitarian organizations to operate because of civil war, aid groups and the United Nations warned. —David Rising, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025

More than 3 million people had already been displaced by fighting before the quake. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English cwacian

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quake

• ache
• ake
• bake
• brake
• break
• cake
• craik
• crake
• fake
• flake
• hake
• jake

Kids Definition

quake

1 of 2 verb

ˈkwāk 

quaked; quaking

1

: to shake or vibrate usually from shock or lack of stability

2

: to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear

quake

2 of 2 noun

: a shaking or trembling

especially : earthquake