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Synonyms

shaking

American  
[shey-king] / ˈʃeɪ kɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that shakes.

  2. ague, with or without chill and fever.

  3. Nautical. shakings, waste rope, canvas, etc.

adjective

  1. moving or swaying with short, quick, irregular vibratory movements; quivering.

Other Word Forms

  • shakingly adverb
  • unshaking adjective

Etymology

Origin of shaking

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; shake, -ing 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I am very concerned to hear that you are shaking and feel like you might lose control.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

The Janet Jackson that “Control” unleashed on the world was a teenager shaking off the dust of two forgettable pop albums and a misguided elopement with another pop star, James DeBarge, when she was 18.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

It could be a conversation that, for example, leads to you watching less cable-TV news or simply shaking up your routine by taking more trips.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

Meta on Wednesday released an artificial intelligence model, Muse Spark, it touts as smarter and faster than what it offered before shaking up its Superintelligence Labs unit.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

“I can’t believe we forgot about the one in your pocket,” I said, shaking my head.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.