as in trembling
marked by or given to small uncontrollable bodily movements
suffered a shaking chill during his bout with the flu
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in twitching
a series of slight movements by a body back and forth or from side to side
gave the bottle of salad dressing a good shaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in escape
the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable
condemned the government's shaking of its overseas responsibilities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in jerking
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
2
as in avoiding
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 shaking
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
In the video, a terrified Archie can be seen frozen, staring and shaking.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
His home office was full of pictures of him shaking hands with famous visitors, like the Canadian Prime Minister and the Queen of Jordan.
—Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Your ruler Mercury will also station retrograde in Sagittarius—your seventh house of partnerships—on November 9, revealing all the ways your desires for independence may be shaking things up with up your closest allies and enemies.
—Roya Backlund, StyleCaster, 23 Dec. 2024
The Ohio State Buckeyes rebounded in a big way on Saturday, shaking off the sting of their recent home loss to Michigan with a commanding victory over the Tennessee Volunteers.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024
Mangione allegedly began shaking after the question.
—Liam Quinn, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024
Their small aquatic habitat started shaking only two minutes later.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 12 Dec. 2024
Eyewitnesses who watched the interaction between Representative Nancy Mace and James McIntyre are questioning the congresswoman's claims about being assaulted, describing instead a scene where McIntyre was just shaking her hand.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
Symptoms like a fast heart rate, or shortness of breath, shaking and chills, confusion or lethargy.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
In the video, a terrified Archie can be seen frozen, staring and shaking.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
His home office was full of pictures of him shaking hands with famous visitors, like the Canadian Prime Minister and the Queen of Jordan.
—Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Your ruler Mercury will also station retrograde in Sagittarius—your seventh house of partnerships—on November 9, revealing all the ways your desires for independence may be shaking things up with up your closest allies and enemies.
—Roya Backlund, StyleCaster, 23 Dec. 2024
The Ohio State Buckeyes rebounded in a big way on Saturday, shaking off the sting of their recent home loss to Michigan with a commanding victory over the Tennessee Volunteers.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024
Mangione allegedly began shaking after the question.
—Liam Quinn, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024
Their small aquatic habitat started shaking only two minutes later.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 12 Dec. 2024
Eyewitnesses who watched the interaction between Representative Nancy Mace and James McIntyre are questioning the congresswoman's claims about being assaulted, describing instead a scene where McIntyre was just shaking her hand.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaking
Noun
-
Maybe after a decade and a half of ruling the charts, the only thing that offers Aubrey Graham an escape from anhedonia is the fleeting euphoria of a lottery hit.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2025
-
At least two made it to the Missouri River – the first captured in Boonville, Missouri, and the largest, a 3-footer, pulled from the river near Jefferson City by a fisherman, nearly three months after its escape.—
Jeremy Drouin,
Kansas City Star,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Which only underscores the importance of drafting well and avoiding the need to fill holes through free agency.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
14 Mar. 2025
-
His offseason of work at the position centered around avoiding that happening again.—
Fabian Ardaya,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
During the Royals’ 2024 playoff run, Erceg was called upon to pitch multiple innings and record outs.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
17 Apr. 2025
-
The Rockies hit eight balls at 96 mph or harder against him that were outs.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The driver was arrested on charges of unlawful gun possession and evading police and booked at the Sacramento County Juvenile Hall.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Chau paid local fishermen to take him near North Sentinel Island, evading the exclusion zone.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
These two factors may well cancel out, Dan Russell, a physicist at Penn State who studies baseball-bat vibrations, told me.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2025
-
This technology uses a thin membrane in a magnetic field to create sonic vibrations.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
His avoidance of assassination by quick reflexes to dodge a bullet's direct hit, and then rising up to display his resilience, provided a perfect tableau to emphasize his survival skills.—
Barbara A. Perry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Instead, allergists recommend avoidance, exercise, or relying on over-the-counter medications to fight sneezing, itching, and watery eyes.—
Sarah Cottone,
Health,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Not literal strings, of course—but tiny loops or snippets of vibrating energy.—
Tom Siegfried,
JSTOR Daily,
19 Dec. 2024
-
Because everything is moving, everything vibrating in one great dance that is the act of becoming.—
Jennifer Harlan,
New York Times,
13 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Williams was taken to Blount County Detention Facility, in Maryville, Tennessee, and prosecutors brought an additional charge against him for escaping federal custody.—
Ronan Farrow,
The New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Reading can be a powerful way of escaping, relaxing and learning more about ourselves.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN,
24 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaking. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share