quavering

7.2

A voice that trembles because of weakness, fear, or strong feeling

adjective
/ˈkwāvərɪŋ/

: tembloroso

Her voice was quavering with fear.

Examples

She sang the final note with a quavering tremor due to nerves.
His quavering reply revealed just how frightened he was.
Grandfather spoke in a quavering voice as he told the story.
He spoke in a quavering tone during the speech.
Grandfather spoke in a quavering voice as he told the story.
His quavering reply revealed just how frightened he was.
Her voice was quavering with fear.

Synonyms

tremulous

vsquavering

4 8.6

A voice that shakes slightly because the person is afraid or nervous

is more about slight shaking than a clearly emotional shake

trembling

vsquavering

1 2.6

Shaking slightly because you feel afraid, cold, or weak

applies specifically to voice shaking caused by emotion or weakness

quavery

vsquavering

7.7

Shaky in the voice, often showing nervousness or strong feeling

is the same meaning but is the continuous action form

Antonyms

steady

186 1.3

Firm and unlikely to be moved or upset

How Shaky

shuddering

2 5.1

to shaking

1.0

quavering

7.2

tremulous

4 8.6

unsteady

16 3.3

steady

186 1.3

Surface Forms

quavering positive

Morphology

quavering = quaver (transparent) = quaver + ing

Formed by the productive suffix '-ing' from the verb 'quaver'; the participial adjective meaning 'trembling' follows directly from the verb.

Etymology

Quavering comes from the verb quaver, which meant 'to shake' and is like the common word quiver. So a quavering voice is one that 'trembles' from fear, weakness, or strong feeling.