quake 1 of 2

noun

Definition of quakenext
as in earthquake
a shaking of the earth the quake registered 6.5 on the Richter scale, causing widespread damage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

quake

2 of 2

verb

ˈkwāk How to pronounce quake (audio)
as in to shake
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements the horror film was so scary it left us quaking with fear for hours afterwards

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 quake
Noun
The water and sewage institute has reported interruptions at several water treatment plants due to power outages caused by the quake. — Michael Rios, CNN Money, 9 Oct. 2026 Light to moderate shaking was reported in the vicinity of the quake, with reports that the quake was felt as far east as Palmdale, as far west as Santa Barbara and as far south as Inglewood. — Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
Rock big enough to quake an indoor stadium. — Brendan Hay, SPIN, 13 Apr. 2026 By 2020, another part of the island nation, the Reykjanes Peninsula, had begun to quake. — Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for quake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quake
  1. earthquake
  2. shake
  3. tremor
  4. shudder
  5. jerk
  6. tremble
  7. vibrate
  8. quiver
Noun
  • The earthquake's epicenter was roughly 2 miles west-southwest of Yucaipa and occurred at a depth of 10 miles.
    — CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Its chief instructor, Wang Kuanghan, has said plans are underway to open five more centers in China within three years, expanding the simulations to other disasters, including fires and earthquakes.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of earthquake
Verb
  • The pope then walked outside greeted and waved at the crowd and shook hands of hospital staff lined up by car to see him off.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Maybe the shooting shook something loose in her and has amplified her worst tendencies.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of shake
Noun
  • No one sat closer to the tremors than Brad White, Florida’s new defensive leader and longtime friend of new coach Jon Sumrall.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The quiet catcher had loudly blasted a ball that sent Chavez Ravine into tremors.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of tremor
Verb
  • Indiana Jones would shudder, but for herpetologist Scott Ballard, a slither doesn't produce a sliver of fear.
    — Noel Brennan, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Conservatives shuddered to think how close the country had come to permanent entangling alliances.
    — Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of shudder
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
  • Drivers should never swerve or jerk the steering wheel, the state patrol said.
    — Celia Frazier, Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • But now, the occupation seems to tremble before Palestinian children holding paper and string.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Those afflicted would tremble and jerk around, lose the ability to stand or swallow, and, after many months of slow suffering, die.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of tremble
Verb
  • This is an album full of stars, storms, and horizons, the depths of visible color vibrating in invisible air.
    — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
  • This thermal burst causes nearby atoms to vibrate randomly before the lattice settles down again.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of vibrate
Verb
  • And as Ternus thumbs through the $1,999-and-up phone, attempting to drag a photo into a text-message box, eagle-eyed viewers notice his hands quivering.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • As Jay tries to avoid getting crushed by the whale’s stomach in one quivering chamber or dissolved by acid in the next, Abrams comes up with reactions that feel as plausible as possible in a situation that’s totally unimaginable.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of quiver

Browse Nearby Words

quais
quake
quaked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quake. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All