tremor

American  

[trem-er, tree-mer] / ˈtrɛm ər, ˈtri mər /

noun

• tremors
  plural

1. involuntary shaking of the body or limbs, as from disease, fear, weakness, or excitement; a fit of trembling.

   Synonyms:

   quiver, shiver, shudder

2. any tremulous or vibratory movement; vibration.

   tremors following an earthquake.

3. a trembling or quivering effect, as of light.

   Synonyms:

   oscillation

4. a quavering sound, as of the voice.

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tremor British  

/ ˈtrɛmə /

noun

1. an involuntary shudder or vibration, as from illness, fear, shock, etc

2. any trembling or quivering movement

3. a vibrating or trembling effect, as of sound or light

4. Also called: earth tremor. a minor earthquake

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verb

1. (intr) to tremble

tremor Scientific  

/ trĕm′ər /

1. A relatively minor seismic shaking or vibrating movement. Tremors often precede larger earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.

2. An involuntary shaking or trembling of the head or extremities that can be idiopathic or associated with any of various medical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tremorless
  adjective
• tremorous
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tremors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tremor

1325–75; Middle English < Latin: a trembling, equivalent to trem ( ere ) to tremble + -or -or ¹

Explanation

A tremor is a trembling or shaking in a person or the Earth. If you're scared about speaking in public you might have a tremor in your voice — or wish that an earthquake tremor would open up the floor and swallow you first. If you're nervous or feeling queasy as you read a paper aloud, you might get a tremor in your hands and the paper itself will start to shake. When an earthquake rumbles, a powerful tremor might make a building shake so that it looks as fragile as a piece of paper. Not every tremor comes from fear or seismic activity, though: you can tremor or quiver with excitement as you anticipate something enjoyable.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tremor tremors

When he didn’t, instead landing on the injured list for two weeks, Skubal’s smooth transition turned what could have been a shock wave of a loss for the rotation into barely a tremor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

It is the latest tremor in the world of Big Law, which is being disrupted by aggressive poaching of rainmakers, the pressure of artificial intelligence and less-loyal clients.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

Deivi, who was asleep when the tremor began, says that he thought he was dreaming when the movement was gentle.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

De la Espriella has faced a tough first week in office, with multiple cities shattered by the tremor and the government yet to publish reconstruction cost estimates.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

She could feel his hands give an involuntary tremor.

From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman

Our scientist is relieved to discover that most of the unusual tremors are tiny — too weak to have been felt.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

Residents in various cities and neighborhoods — Crenshaw, Huntington Park, Bell, West Adams, Mid-City, Gardena and more — posted online that they felt the tremors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

The IGN said it was the latest in a series of very shallow tremors in the area that started last Friday and were widely felt.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

The U.S. and Japan are seeking to contain tremors that could be triggered by a cratering Japanese currency.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

She felt tremors of grief run through the old woman’s body.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• earthquake
• shiver
• upheaval
• vibration