shudderverb [ I ]
uk/ˈʃʌd.ər/us/ˈʃʌd.ɚ/C2 to shake suddenly with very small movements because of a very unpleasant thought or feeling:
The sight of so much blood made him shudder.
She shuddered at the thought of kissing him.
When something shudders, it shakes violently and quickly:
I heard a massive explosion and the ground shuddered beneath me.
There was a screech of brakes and the bus shuddered to a halt (= shook violently and stopped).
More examples
- She looked up at the grey sky and shuddered.
- I still shudder when I think of the risks we took.
- She shuddered with horror.
- I shudder at the thought of eating the fat on meat.
- I don't like to think about getting close to him - it makes me shudder.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Making short, sudden movements
- aquiver
- convulse
- convulsion
- convulsive
- cringe
- flick
- jerky
- jig
- jiggle
- jolt
- judder
- palpitate
- pull away
- quiver
- shivery
- shrink
- tremulous
- whip
- worry at sth
- wriggle
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Idiom(s)
I shudder to think
shudder to a halt
shuddernoun [ C ]
uk/ˈʃʌd.ər/us/ˈʃʌd.ɚ/the act of shuddering:
He gave a slight shudder as he considered how close he had come to death.
She recalled with a shudder how her boss had once tried to kiss her.
figurative America's second biggest supermarket chain has sent a shudder through (= has had a strong effect on) its rivals by slashing its prices.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Making short, sudden movements
- aquiver
- convulse
- convulsion
- convulsive
- cringe
- flick
- jerky
- jig
- jiggle
- jolt
- judder
- palpitate
- pull away
- quiver
- shivery
- shrink
- tremulous
- whip
- worry at sth
- wriggle
See more results »
Idiom(s)
send shudders/a shudder down your spine