Word
trembling
Phoneticstrem·bling
US/ˈtɹɛmbəɫɪŋ/
UK/tɹˈɛmblɪŋ/
Definition
adj. shaking slightly because you are cold, afraid, or very excited.
adj. shaking involuntarily with short, quick movements. Often used as a participial adjective to describe a person's voice, hands, or physical state due to intense emotion or physical weakness.
Examples
“She spoke with a trembling voice.”
“The child reached out with a trembling hand to pet the large dog for the first time.”
“The witness stood before the court, her trembling hands clutched tightly around the edge of the wooden podium as she prepared to give her testimony.”
Examples
simple
“She spoke with a trembling voice.”
contextual
“The child reached out with a trembling hand to pet the large dog for the first time.”
complex
“The witness stood before the court, her trembling hands clutched tightly around the edge of the wooden podium as she prepared to give her testimony.”
Usage
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be' or 'remain', or attributively before nouns like 'voice', 'hands', or 'limbs'.
Real-World Examples
“Claire Danes as Beth plays this moment with a heart-wrenching sweetness, her chin trembling as she tells a crying Jo that she is not afraid and that she can be brave like her.” “No test can explain why they can’t walk without falling, why their leg won’t stop trembling, or why they experience seizures that leave them exhausted for hours, even days.” Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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