What does quaveringly mean?
Quaveringly is an adverb meaning in a shaky, trembling, or unsteady manner. It is especially common in descriptions of a person speaking with a voice that wavers through fear, nervousness, exhaustion, or emotional strain. A quavering voice may be quiet and difficult to hear, while a quavering tone more generally suggests uncertainty and lack of control. The word often implies that the speaker's physical or emotional condition is disrupting otherwise intelligible speech. In literary and descriptive writing, it can help readers perceive vulnerability or anxiety without being told directly that the speaker is afraid. Although the related adjective quavering can describe a voice, sound, or movement, the adverb form is primarily used to modify verbs such as speak, ask, reply, and murmur.
adverbIn a trembling or unsteady manner, especially with a voice that sounds shaky and uncertain.
- In a shaky, trembling, or unsteady manner.
"She answered the question quaveringly, barely managing to make herself heard."
"His voice became quaveringly faint as he tried to hide his anxiety."
"The witness spoke quaveringly while giving her statement to the court."
A quavering voice can reveal nervousness long before the speaker's words do.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does quaveringly come from?
Quaveringly was formed in the 19th century from the adjective quavering, using the adverbial suffix -ly. The word quaver has an older English history and was used for trembling or unsteady movement and, by extension, for an unsteady voice or a musical note. Its precise ultimate origin is uncertain, so it is best not assigned a definite ancestral language.
Related word forms
How quaveringly is actually used
Most often describes a voice, speech, or sound. It conveys nervousness, fear, illness, or emotional strain rather than a deliberate rhythmic fluctuation.