# shudder vs sudden

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### shudder
*verb · IPA /ˈʃʌd.ə/ · frequency rank #25,205*
To shake nervously, often from fear or horror.

### sudden
*adjective · IPA /ˈsʌdn̩/ · frequency rank #3,659*
Occurring quickly with little or no warning or expectation; instantly.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shudder-vs-sudden