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.
In the memoir, Ms. Dunham traces the struggles of her adult life—fame, illness, addiction—with touching emphasis on the early tremulous excitements of becoming well-known: the affirmation, the freebies, the invitations to glittering events.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
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
The independent presidential candidate recounts those times somewhat wistfully, telling interviewers that he “can’t stand” the sound of his voice today — sometimes choked, halting and slightly tremulous.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2024
But there’s a disturbing intimacy to the film as well, with Cillian Murphy’s tremulous J. Robert Oppenheimer leading an unstable band of scientists while nearly drowning in uncharted political and ethical waters.
From New York Times • Jan. 23, 2024
A tremulous smile touched his face as his hand groped for hers.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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.
