shudder
Americanverb (used without object)
noun
verb
noun
Related Words
See shiver 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of shudder
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English shodderen (verb) (cognate with German schaudern, from Low German ), frequentative of Old English scūdan “to tremble”; see -er 6
Explanation
A shudder is an involuntary vibration, usually in your body, or the shaking itself. A cold breeze or an unpleasant memory might make you shudder. A shudder isn't always a bad thing. It can mean a pleasurable sensation or tingle that goes through your body, like a shudder of excitement you feel when you see your favorite star on the street. As a verb, shudder means to shake and shiver. Being really cold or seeing something that scares you — a ghost! — can make you shudder. The phrase "shudder to think" means just the thought of something upsets you enough to shudder.
Vocabulary lists containing shudder
The Lingo of Body Language
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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 1
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Unit 4: Powerful Openings
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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.
A documentary on Shudder from Donna Davies and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas about women’s involvement in the genre makes for an entertaining, informative trip through film history.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
"Dangerous Animals" is in theaters and streaming on Shudder June 6.
From Salon • Jun. 8, 2025
Meanwhile, his series “The Creep Tapes” was renewed for a second season on Shudder.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2025
As the cinematographer for “The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula,” a horror-themed drag competition on Shudder, and a gay man, Brent Bailey knows about the intersection of queerness and scariness.
From New York Times • Jan. 19, 2023
The stern profile might well be about to say: "Shudder again, and I will do to thee that which shall give thee cause to shudder indeed!"
From The White Ladies of Worcester A Romance of the Twelfth Century by Barclay, Florence L. (Florence Louisa)
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.
