What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
shake
Example
The earthquake made the ground shake violently. [shake: verb]
Example
She shook her head in disbelief. [shook: past tense]
Example
Shake the bottle well before using. [shake: verb]
vibrate
Example
The phone vibrated in my pocket, signaling a new message. [vibrated: past tense]
Example
The guitar strings vibrated with each pluck. [vibrated: past tense]
Example
The massage chair has different settings that vibrate at different intensities. [vibrate: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Shake is more commonly used than vibrate in everyday language, especially in informal contexts. Vibrate is more technical and specific to certain fields such as engineering or electronics.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between shake and vibrate?
Vibrate is more formal and technical than shake, which is more versatile and can be used in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
