shuddered

verb

past tense of shudder
as in shook
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements huddled in the basement, we shuddered with fear as we heard the approaching tornado

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 shuddered Conservatives shuddered to think how close the country had come to permanent entangling alliances. — Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 McDonald’s shares fell nearly 5% Wednesday, their largest percentage drop since April 2025, as investors shuddered at the eye-popping price of improving McDonald’s 46,000 global stores. — Dee-Ann Durbin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026 The walls of my office violently shuddered and smoke filled the hallway — but no evacuation alarm ever sounded. — Marc A. Thiessen, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2026 On Thursday, Clancy loudly sobbed, shuddered and covered her face with her hands as a medical examiner testified about Callan’s autopsy. — Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026 The way the stadium shuddered with noise. — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 7 May 2026 At least the elevator still creaked and shuddered, as in the old days, finally trembling open on the eighth floor. — Rick Bragg, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026 Later, when Tristan gently put his hand on Marke’s shoulder, the king shuddered. — Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026 People shuddered at the sight of it, or groaned, or covered their eyes. — Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shuddered
  1. shook
  2. jerked
  3. quivered
  4. vibrated
Verb
  • Risch initially shook the challenger’s hand, then pulled back and brushed past him.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 27 Oct. 2026
  • But Todd Golden’s squad shook off a sluggish first half, quickly turned a two-point halftime lead into a double-digit advantage and kept the Hatters at bay during an 85-68 win Tuesday night in the O’Connell Center.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of shook
Verb
  • During the test, Linton jerked and twitched in what prosecutors described as an attempt to fake a seizure.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Somewhere nearby, in a dark office, an eavesdropping oreja has just jerked to attention on his hard little chair.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of jerked
Verb
  • When her 9-year-old daughter’s hand quivered, a teenage cousin helped guide the clipper over her mother’s scalp.
    — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • When her 9-year-old daughter's hand quivered, a teenage cousin helped guide the clipper over her mother’s scalp.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of quivered
Verb
  • The roar of the engines vibrated through the fuselage, rattling bones and teeth, while supply crates shifted and groaned with every lurch.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • And the universal consciousness of light that vibrated at my frequency is what saved me.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of vibrated

Browse Nearby Words

shudder
shuddered
shuddering
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Cite this Entry

“Shuddered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shuddered. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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