tremble
Americanverb (used without object)
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trembles,
present (3rd person singular)
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trembled,
past participle, past
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trembling
present participle
noun
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trembles
plural
-
the act of trembling.
-
a state or fit of trembling.
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(used with a singular verb) trembles,
-
Pathology. milk sickness.
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Veterinary Pathology. a toxic condition of cattle and sheep caused by the eating of white snakeroot and characterized by muscular tremors.
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verb
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to vibrate with short slight movements; quiver
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to shake involuntarily, as with cold or fear; shiver
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to experience fear or anxiety
noun
Synonym Usage
See shake.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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tremblesimple
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tremblessimple
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have trembledperfect
-
has trembledperfect
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am tremblingprogressive
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are tremblingprogressive
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is tremblingprogressive
-
have been tremblingperfect progressive
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has been tremblingperfect progressive
Past
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trembledsimple
-
had trembledperfect
-
was tremblingprogressive
-
were tremblingprogressive
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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
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David Bowie (1947-2016) Tribute List
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Excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank"
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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.
See Examples For:
Fireworks are also traumatizing for pets, particularly dogs, which tremble and even bolt from their homes in fear.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 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
Her mother held her head high, but Koffi saw it, the slight tremble in her bottom lip, the fear.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
"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 anger as she explains how she found out the news that he had died on the front line in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine in 2023.
From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2025
Lagana is relentlessly upbeat and positive, but his voice trembles when explaining that of the 75 or so homes in his immediate neighborhood, only 11 remain.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 13, 2025
Her voice trembles with rage, and a kind of triumph.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
One of the most Latino big cities in the country trembled in fear.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
For years, rival executives in America had looked north and trembled at the possibilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025
"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
She trembled like a calf confronted with a leopard.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
Ali, trembling from the effects of Parkinson’s disease but with strength still evident, held the flaming torch aloft.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
“Bittersweet memories, that’s all I am taking with me,” Parton sings in a voice trembling with determination.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Though Alicia emerged victorious, Christiane held a plank for over three minutes, arms trembling and gritting her teeth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
"My hands are trembling," she posted on Weibo eight minutes after the tickets were launched, announcing that they had sold out.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
Anya moved to continue past the hut, and Ivan grabbed her arm with trembling fingers.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
