shudder

1 of 2

verb

shud·​der ˈshə-dər How to pronounce shudder (audio)
shuddered; shuddering ˈshə-d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce shudder (audio)
Synonyms of shudder

intransitive verb

: to tremble convulsively : shiver, quiver

shudder

2 of 2

noun

: an act of shuddering
shuddery
ˈshə-d(ə-)rē How to pronounce shudder (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of shudder

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Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of shudder in a Sentence

Verb The old car shuddered to a halt. The house shuddered as a plane flew overhead. Noun a shudder ran through him as he stepped outside into the snow
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
The system shudders a bit and then gets back to normal, like a person stubbing a toe or twisting an ankle faces discomfort and difficulty walking for a while. — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 There’s the studio version, which has some really interesting production, with Meg’s shuddering percussion that eventually grates and distracts, and Jack’s very chunky guitar. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
Elsewhere, increasingly popular quadrupedal robot dogs deployed by the military and police have exhibited uncanny qualities that would make a Black Mirror writer shudder. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026 Beijing threatened to impose an export ban last year, sending a shudder across US industry. — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shudder

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English shoddren; akin to Old High German skutten to shake and perhaps to Lithuanian kutėti to shake up

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shudder was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing shudder

Rhymes for shudder

See All Rhymes for shudder

Browse Nearby Words

shucky bean
shudder
shudderingly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shudder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shudder. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

shudder

1 of 2 verb
shud·​der ˈshəd-ər How to pronounce shudder (audio)
shuddered; shuddering -(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce shudder (audio)
1
: to tremble with fear or horror or from cold
shuddered just thinking about it
2
: shake entry 1 sense 1, quiver
the train slowed and shuddered to a halt

shudder

2 of 2 noun
: an act of shuddering : shiver
shuddery
-(ə-)rē How to pronounce shudder (audio)
adjective

Medical Definition

shudder

intransitive verb
shud·​der ˈshəd-ər How to pronounce shudder (audio)
shuddered; shuddering
: to tremble convulsively : shiver
shudder noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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