quake

1 of 2

verb

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

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
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.
Verb
Harper crumbled to one knee, wincing in anguish, as Phillies fans quaked with their worst possible nightmare — that their superstar first-baseman is seriously injured. Anthony Stitt, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025 Mountains rise, volcanoes spew, and Earth itself quakes as the crust constantly remakes itself in the ceaseless cycle of plate tectonics. Elise Cutts, Scientific American, 13 May 2025
Noun
The United States Geological Survey reported the quake had a magnitude of 5.9 and was detected at a depth of 19.3 miles. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 12 June 2025 The devastating earthquake in Turkey in 2023, which killed hundreds of people and decimated communities near the Syrian border, was a 7.8 magnitude quake. Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for quake

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of quake was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quake. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

quake

1 of 2 verb
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

More from Merriam-Webster on quake

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!