tremulous
Americanadjective
-
(of persons, the body, etc.) characterized by trembling, as from fear, nervousness, or weakness.
- Synonyms:
- hesitant
-
timid; timorous; fearful.
- Synonyms:
- afraid, frightened
-
(of things) vibratory, shaking, or quivering.
-
(of writing) done with a trembling hand.
adjective
-
vibrating slightly; quavering; trembling
a tremulous voice
-
showing or characterized by fear, anxiety, excitement, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tremulous
1605–15; < Latin tremulus, equivalent to trem ( ere ) to tremble + -ulus adj. suffix
Explanation
Something tremulous is shaky and quivering, usually from fear or lack of strength. If you're nervous at your first big job interview, your hands might be a little tremulous. You’ve likely heard the unsteady voice of a person close to tears, or seen the trembling legs of a frightened child — both could certainly be described as tremulous. But you can also use this adjective to describe a statement or action that lacks resolution and courage, or even simply something that's shivering from the cold.
Vocabulary lists containing tremulous
Lord of the Flies
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The Scarlet Letter
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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.
He has described the prehistoric-looking Dalmatian pelicans, which “have eyes of such tremulous glacial depths—the bluish-gray sclera like an ice sheet being cored by the black iris—that they appear to hold entire worlds inside them.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
While it doesn’t share that series’ satiric humor, it is a solid mystery-thriller that Thompson’s jaded Zoë Boehm and Wilson’s tremulous but tough Sarah Tucker lift into the revelatory.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2025
Odell's voice, which tends towards the tremulous, thrums with emotional resonance, gently underscored by brushed drums and swelling strings.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2025
With her low, tremulous, gripping voice, Baby Rose sings about love as self-sabotage, trying to break free while an orchestra underlines her despair.
From New York Times ● Dec. 6, 2023
“What spirit is this? Who comes?” he asked in a tremulous voice.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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.
