1
as in jerked
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
the bus rattled and shook as it barreled down a rutted road
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in avoided
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery
we shook our pursuers by cutting through the abandoned lot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shook
Minutes into the execution, the team warden briefly flicked Hitchcock‘s face and yelled his name twice and shook his shoulders.
—
Jeffrey Collins, Sun Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Bukele shook off his delusions of being the emperor of social media and abandoned his bullying tactics in the face of the biggest bully.
—Óscar Martínez, The Dial, 30 Apr. 2026
Airstrikes shook the village of Kafr Tebnit when the war broke out.
—ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Applause during a joint session is usually an awkward and partisan art; at the recent State of the Union, Vance and Johnson stood like professional opera clappers behind the President as Democrats in the audience shook their heads.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
Meeting New York’s mayor Mamdani — who was born in Uganda, a former part of the British Empire, to parents from India, which achieved independence from British rule in 1947 — shook hands with the king, and the two appeared to greet each other warmly.
—Philip Marcelo, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Larson poured a packet of ‘Cheddar Cheese powder' over the chicken in the bag, shook it and took a bite.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
As the new Sox skipper began walking out to the mound, his starter emphatically shook his head from side to side.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
In his press conference on Monday, Rosenior pointed out that one video of Fernandez appearing to walk past him after being substituted against Manchester United was cut before the player turned around and hugged him and shook his hand.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Jeffrey Collins, Sun Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Bukele shook off his delusions of being the emperor of social media and abandoned his bullying tactics in the face of the biggest bully.
—Óscar Martínez, The Dial, 30 Apr. 2026
Airstrikes shook the village of Kafr Tebnit when the war broke out.
—ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Applause during a joint session is usually an awkward and partisan art; at the recent State of the Union, Vance and Johnson stood like professional opera clappers behind the President as Democrats in the audience shook their heads.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
Meeting New York’s mayor Mamdani — who was born in Uganda, a former part of the British Empire, to parents from India, which achieved independence from British rule in 1947 — shook hands with the king, and the two appeared to greet each other warmly.
—Philip Marcelo, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Larson poured a packet of ‘Cheddar Cheese powder' over the chicken in the bag, shook it and took a bite.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
As the new Sox skipper began walking out to the mound, his starter emphatically shook his head from side to side.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
In his press conference on Monday, Rosenior pointed out that one video of Fernandez appearing to walk past him after being substituted against Manchester United was cut before the player turned around and hugged him and shook his hand.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shook
Verb
-
The plane jerked to a stop as two trucks passed just feet in front of its nose.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
-
We are jerked between past and present as his backstory gets filled in, one jogged memory at a time.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Given the importance of preserving relations with the FCC, which has a say over a range of local station matters and must approve any mergers involving the transfer of broadcast licenses, LeGeyt has deliberately avoided a direct clash with his Washington counterpart.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
-
In Ukraine, Harry stepped into territory traditionally avoided by the royals.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At least the elevator still creaked and shuddered, as in the old days, finally trembling open on the eighth floor.—
Rick Bragg,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Later, when Tristan gently put his hand on Marke’s shoulder, the king shuddered.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Garcia sprinted off exiting through a side entrance and evaded authorities until cops nabbed him on March 25, 2026.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Gutiérrez worries that Trump’s eagerness for a trophy that has evaded 12 Democratic and Republican presidents could get the better of him.—
Joshua Goodman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For a moment, the plane quivered around them like a greyhound straining on a leash.—
Burkhard Bilger,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Nearly a year after 10 inmates escaped a New Orleans jail through a hole in the wall, a special grand jury has indicted the local sheriff on criminal corruption and obstruction charges in connection with the biggest jailbreak in recent American history.—
Greg Hilburn,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Authorities said the 10 inmates escaped from the Orleans Justice Center in the early morning hours after climbing through a hole behind a toilet.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The pilot of a helicopter that crashed on a sightseeing flight off the Hawaiian island of Kauai last month, killing three passengers, told investigators that the aircraft vibrated and spun before plunging into the water, according to report released Friday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The envelope all but vibrated in her hands.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shook. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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