shudder
Americanverb (used without object)
noun
verb
noun
Synonym Usage
See shiver 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
shuddersimple
-
shudderssimple
-
have shudderedperfect
-
has shudderedperfect
-
am shudderingprogressive
-
are shudderingprogressive
-
is shudderingprogressive
-
have been shudderingperfect progressive
-
has been shudderingperfect progressive
Past
-
shudderedsimple
-
had shudderedperfect
-
was shudderingprogressive
-
were shudderingprogressive
-
had been shudderingperfect progressive
Future
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
Not rated In Spanish, with English subtitles Running time: 1 hour, 39 minutes Playing: In wide release; streaming on Shudder on Oct.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 6, 2023
"Skinamarink," the experimental and somewhat plot-less horror film by Kyle Edward Ball that was just released on Shudder, is being lauded by many viewers as the scariest movie ever made.
From Salon • Feb. 4, 2023
The company has spent the last several years introducing a fleet of streaming services, including AMC+ and the horror-focused Shudder, and trumpeted their growth quarter after quarter on earnings conference calls.
From New York Times • Dec. 18, 2022
Be heavy,150 O heavens, for this, 12 Shudder and shudder again!
From Jeremiah : Being The Baird Lecture for 1922 by Smith, George Adam, Sir
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.
