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

Colombia’s Geological Service noted the quake was country’s strongest recorded tremor in the 21st century and that it was followed by nearly two dozen powerful aftershocks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Tuesday's tremor caused widespread damage on the island of Kyushu, flattening homes, damaging bridges, triggering fires and leaving tens of thousands of residents without power and water.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

"Thirteen people have died," Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a day after the tremor that registered at the highest level on Japan's Shindo scale of seismic shaking.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

Another resident said aftershocks were still rattling the city hours after the initial tremor.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

His hand starts to tremor and he pulls it from mine.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

But officials have stayed mute about the number of missing people since the twin tremors struck on June 24.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 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

Market uncertainty about Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s commitment to tackling inflation has also caused tremors, pushing up long-term borrowing costs to 19-year highs and rattling stocks along the way.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026

The BBC's Latin America correspondent Will Grant visited towns in La Guaira after the tremors first hit, and returned to find families continuing their search for loved ones a month on.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

For towns and cities close to the epicenter of the Great Tohoku Earthquake, the warning came fifteen seconds before the tremors.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

• earthquake
• shiver
• upheaval
• vibration