quake

1 of 2

verb

ˈkwāk How to pronounce quake (audio)
quaked; quaking
Synonyms of quakenext

intransitive verb

1
: to shake or vibrate usually from shock or instability
2
: to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear

quake

2 of 2

noun

: an instance of shaking or trembling (as of the earth or moon)
especially : earthquake

Synonyms of quake

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Verb

Noun

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Examples of quake in a Sentence

Verb She was quaking with rage. The explosion made the whole house quake. Noun the quake registered 6.5 on the Richter scale, causing widespread damage
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
For a full twenty-seven minutes and nineteen seconds, the stadium quaked and thrummed. — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 Ball built a guitar with an aluminum neck and began placing his headstock on top of his amp, so that the quaking cabinet shook the strings by itself. — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026
Noun
Venezuela now faces a multi-year recovery following the twin quakes which have left whole regions of the country devastated and caused an economic hit equivalent to 6% of the country’s GDP, according to the United Nations Development Programme. — Rocio Munoz, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 Officials said Sunday that a woman in her 70s was found dead last week of apparent heatstroke while taking shelter in her car after the quake, bringing the total death toll to 38. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for quake

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English cwacian

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quake was before the 12th century

Rhymes for quake

See All Rhymes for quake

Browse Nearby Words

quait
quake
quake grass
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quake. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

quake

1 of 2 verb
ˈkwāk How to pronounce quake (audio)
quaked; quaking
1
: to shake or vibrate usually from shock or lack of stability
2
: to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear

quake

2 of 2 noun
: a shaking or trembling
especially : earthquake

More from Merriam-Webster on quake

Nglish: Translation of quake for Spanish Speakers

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