What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
jolted
Example
The car jolted as it hit a pothole in the road. [jolted: verb]
Example
She was jolted awake by the loud noise outside. [jolted: adjective]
shake
Example
He shook his head to indicate disagreement. [shook: past tense]
Example
The earthquake caused the ground to shake violently. [shake: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Shake is more commonly used than jolted in everyday language. Shake is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while jolted is less common and usually used in specific situations where a sudden and forceful movement is involved.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between jolted and shake?
Both jolted and shake are informal words and are suitable for casual conversations or informal writing. However, jolted may be more suitable for technical or scientific writing where precision and accuracy are required.