# trembling

/ˈtɹɛmbəɫɪŋ/ (US) · /tɹˈɛmblɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/trembling
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

shaking slightly because you are cold, afraid, or very excited.

For teachers: 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.

## Usage notes

- Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be' or 'remain', or attributively before nouns like 'voice', 'hands', or 'limbs'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.