tremble
Americanverb (used without object)
-
trembles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
trembled,
past participle, past
-
trembling
present participle
noun
-
trembles
plural
-
the act of trembling.
-
a state or fit of trembling.
-
(used with a singular verb) trembles,
-
Pathology. milk sickness.
-
Veterinary Pathology. a toxic condition of cattle and sheep caused by the eating of white snakeroot and characterized by muscular tremors.
-
verb
-
to vibrate with short slight movements; quiver
-
to shake involuntarily, as with cold or fear; shiver
-
to experience fear or anxiety
noun
Synonym Usage
See shake.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
tremblesimple
-
tremblessimple
-
have trembledperfect
-
has trembledperfect
-
am tremblingprogressive
-
are tremblingprogressive
-
is tremblingprogressive
-
have been tremblingperfect progressive
-
has been tremblingperfect progressive
Past
-
trembledsimple
-
had trembledperfect
-
was tremblingprogressive
-
were tremblingprogressive
-
had been tremblingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tremble
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English trem(b)len (verb), from Old French trembler, from Vulgar Latin *tremulāre, derivative of Latin tremulus tremulous
Explanation
To tremble is to quiver or shake without meaning to. Your hands probably tremble when you're nervous. Trembling is a movement, but it's not one that anyone intends to make. Someone who is extremely scared or cold might tremble all over. Older people tend to tremble more often than younger people, sometimes because of serious disorders like Parkinson's disease. The root word of tremble is the Latin tremulus, "trembling or tremulous." Certain honey bees perform a wiggly, shivering movement called a "tremble dance," which scientists believe inspires speedier nectar collection.
Vocabulary lists containing tremble
"The People Could Fly," Vocabulary from the folk tale
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
David Bowie (1947-2016) Tribute List
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
AFP reporters as far away as Florida also felt the tremble.
From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026
“My hand will not tremble when it comes to chasing down and capturing the bandits,” he told supporters at a recent rally in Bogotá, the capital.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
The remark wasn’t likely to make Iranian generals tremble.
From Slate ● May 11, 2026
Even the opening credits, some written in slithering hair, seem to tremble out of either fear or ecstasy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026
Danny didn’t want to cry in front of Mr. Garner, but he felt his lip tremble, so he kept quiet and thought of the one person who made him feel brave: Pili.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
"Everyone still trembles at any loud noise," he added.
From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026
Their voice trembles as they describe the incident, one they managed to film, hoping that footage might be useful later.
From Slate ● Jan. 16, 2026
Her voice trembles with emotion as she sings the lyrics, fueled by the six decades of relationship behind them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2025
Her voice trembles and tears roll down her cheeks but she goes on.
From BBC ● Mar. 27, 2023
The shuttle trembles, a sign that back on the ship, Crick’s hand piloting us remotely is doing the same.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
Lilia, a pensioner, recalled giving her infirm husband injections even as her hands and legs trembled during bombardments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
"It was like 30 or 40 thunderbolts falling from the sky," said Ahnaf Bin Hasan, an 18-year-old student whose voice still trembled two days after the crash.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2025
Again and again, as my forearms trembled and my fingers ached, my feet slipped on the mercilessly smooth granite.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2024
A villager living nearby told The Associated Press on Sunday that he trembled after hearing the blast because he had never before experienced such a loud explosion.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 27, 2024
Her hand trembled, but her voice remained firm.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
Videos posted online showed one dog, Cash, trembling in his kennel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
During those strikes, she sat on a chair in the corridor of her Lukyanivka apartment, away from the windows, her hands trembling uncontrollably.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
And if you hear trembling violins and thrumming cellos, you might lapse into a vision of storm-whipped waves.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
"I made a mistake," he says, his voice trembling as an unseen interrogator presses him about the deaths of members of Iran's security forces.
From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026
With trembling hands, I tore the paper from the package.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
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.
