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Glite Dictionary
😨 To shake suddenly 😨 A sudden shake
shudder

shudder

20 4.1
A sudden, uncontrolled shaking of the body from fear, cold, or strong feeling
  • noun
  • /ˈʃʌdər/
translation icon : escalofrío
  • The thuds and shudders were like white noise, the hum of an air conditioner.
  • a shudder of fear
  • a shudder of terror

when you have what we call shudders or thrills of delight.

Examples

  • He revealed that those eyes sent a shudder down my spine.

  • Dave clutched at the steering wheel and got his shudders under control.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The massive shudder of the animal pulled Chan Bahlum off balance toward the tree trunk.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • The spring wind swirled around the house, making it shudder and creak more than ever.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Then they felt the shudder of the ground as Angus tramped away.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • "O000," they would all say with a shudder, their eyes shut, their mouths tight and disapproving.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • "Geordi suppressed a shudder at the thought of working with Koryev on an away team."

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Wyth Arundel awoke with a shudder and forced his eyes open.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • A slow transformation led her from wide-open stares and shudders to the brief sighs of yearning.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The horror movie was so frightening that it sent a shudder through the audience.

Synonyms

chill
vsshudder
110 4.0

A sudden shiver of fear or excitement

is an actual sudden physical shake rather than mainly an emotional feeling
shake
vsshudder
55 1.8

A small quick movement of the body or one of its parts

is narrower, naming a sudden involuntary reaction usually from fear or cold
shaking
vsshudder
52 1.8

A quick repeated movement back and forth or up and down that makes things tremble

is more specifically a sudden involuntary reaction, not any repeated motion
shiver
vsshudder
50 1.4

A sudden small shake of the body from cold, fear or excitement

is like that but usually arrives more suddenly and with more force
tremor
vsshudder
37 5.3

A shaking movement of the body or voice you cannot control

is more commonly caused by sudden fear, cold, or strong emotion
tremble
vsshudder
23 2.7

A small shaking that you feel when you are very afraid or cold

is similar but tends to be a sharper, more intense involuntary shake
quivering
vsshudder
7 4.4

A slight, fast shaking that you can see or feel

is usually a sudden event rather than a continuing slight motion
quiver
vsshudder
6 3.9

A small shaking movement in the voice often caused by fear or excitement

is similar but typically stronger and less slight in movement
shiver down someone's spine
vsshudder
  • Informal
1 5.9

A sudden feeling of fear or excitement that moves along your back

is more a full-body sudden shake rather than a localized back sensation

Antonyms

calm
52 1.0

A quiet, peaceful feeling that helps you stay steady

How Strong

convulsion
  • Specialized
20 7.3
shudder
20 4.1
tremor
37 5.3
to shiver
115 1.2
to quiver
47 4.5

Surface Forms

shudder singular
shudders plural

Etymology

Shudder comes from an old German word that meant 'to shake' and is like the German word schaudern, so think of a sudden shake or 'shiver' that runs through you. That's why a shudder is a sudden shake you cannot control, often from fear, cold, or a strong feeling.