EN

Synonyms for quaver

  • verb
  • noun

Most common

tremble waver

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Trill

trill, warble

2. Tremble

tremble, waver, wobble, quiver, shake, quake, flutter, shudder, vibrate

Noun

eighth note US CA, trembling, shaking

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To shake in a trembling manner.

  2. v. 2

    To use the voice in a trembling manner, as in speaking or singing.

  3. n. 1

    A trembling shake.

Related words

Phrases
quaver rest

Forms

Plural
quavers → tremblings, shakings…
Past participle
quavered
e.g. quavered → trilled, warbled, trembled, wavered…

Choose the right word

or Quaver?

Quaver is applied almost exclusively to tremulous sounds of the human voice.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • tremble I tremble with my fingers crossed behind the door.
  • waver We will also not waver in our values and our principles as a nation.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
quaverrising
tremblerising
waverrising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

5 letters
shake1, quake1, waver2, trill1
6 letters
wobble2, quiver2, warble2
7 letters
shaking2, flutter2, shudder2, vibrate2, tremble2
9 letters
trembling3

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (waver2 = 2 syllables).