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

After the quaking subsides, Annie—left with no phone, money, or car—begins walking across what remains of the city. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025

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

Noun

Myanmar’s quake is as close to a no-show as the nation has had in recent memory at a major, accessible natural disaster. —Ellen Knickmeyer and David Rising, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2025

The quake struck at 9:23 p.m. about five miles south-southeast of the city in San Benito County, the USGS reported. —Jason Green, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 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