揺さぶる・揺さ振る|ゆさぶるyusaburu[0]heiban (flat)

1. godan verb, transitive verbto shake; to jolt; to rock; to swing; to sway
   地震じしんが突然とつぜん、建物たてものをゆさぶった。↗

   The earthquake suddenly shook the buildings.
2. godan verb, transitive verbto shake (e.g. the political world); to disturb; to shock; to upset
   強つよい円えんが経済けいざいを揺ゆさぶっている。↗

   A strong yen is shaking the economy.
3. godan verb, transitive verb, baseballto put off a batter (by varying one's type of pitch)

• SynonymゆするNeutralTo shake or rock something, as in 「体を揺する」「肩を激しく揺する」; also means to blackmail or extort, so it covers more than shaking.
• Synonym揺らすゆらすNeutralTo set something swaying, e.g. 「ブランコを揺らす」; the motion tends to be gentle, while 「揺さぶる」 means shaking hard or unsettling someone's feelings.
• SynonymシェイクNeutralLoanword for shaking something up, as in 「シェイクする」; leans toward mixing drinks (also a milkshake).
• Synonym揺るゆるWrittenWritten/formal prose for shaking or rinsing, e.g. 「米を揺る」; rarely used in modern Japanese.
• Synonym揺るがすゆるがすNeutralTransitive: to shake or rock something major, as in 「世界を揺るがす事件」; leans toward a momentous impact rather than physical shaking.
• Synonym揺すぶるゆすぶるNeutralClose in meaning to 「揺さぶる」—to shake something—but examples are few, and modern Japanese mostly says 「揺さぶる」.
• Synonym揺り動かすゆりうごかすWrittenWritten/formal prose: to shake something or stir someone's heart, as in 「心を揺り動かす」; relatively few examples of use.
• RelatedガタガタCasualColloquial onomatopoeia for rattling noises, trembling, or grumbling; leans toward sound and instability, not the deliberate act of shaking.
• Related揺らぐゆらぐNeutralIntransitive: to waver or become unsteady on its own, as in 「信念が揺らぐ」; describes something shaking itself, not your act of shaking it.
• Related揺るぐゆるぐWrittenWritten/formal prose for wavering or being shaken; mostly seen in the negative 「揺るぎない」 (unshakable).
• Related震動しんどうWrittenNoun for vibration or tremor, as in 「地震の震動」; mostly physical vibration, sometimes a figurative shock to society—not the act of shaking by hand.
• RelatedゆらゆらCasualColloquial mimetic word for slow, gentle swaying, as in 「炎がゆらゆら」; describes leisurely movement, not forceful shaking.
• Related震えるふるえるNeutralIntransitive: to shiver or tremble, as in 「寒さで震える」; the body quivering on its own, not your shaking something.
• Related揺れるゆれるNeutralIntransitive: to sway or shake by itself, as in 「地震で揺れる」; the everyday verb for something moving on its own, not your shaking it.
• Related震わせるふるわせるNeutralTo make something quiver, as in 「声を震わせる」; leans toward fine, slight trembling rather than forceful shaking.
• Related震わすふるわすNeutralThe godan form of 「震わせる」 with the same meaning—to make something tremble—but used less often.
• Relatedかき乱すかきみだすNeutralTo disturb or throw into confusion, e.g. 「心をかき乱す」; stresses disrupting order rather than physical shaking.
• Related揺動ようどうWrittenFormal term for swaying or rocking motion; leans toward mechanical, physical movement.
• RelatedガクガクCasualColloquial for legs trembling or parts coming loose, as in 「膝がガクガク」; leans toward trembling rather than shaking something.
• Related揺すれるゆすれるNeutralIntransitive: to sway or rock; rare in modern Japanese, where 「揺れる」 is the normal choice.
• Relatedぐら付くぐらつくCasualColloquial: to wobble unsteadily or for one's resolve to waver; stresses instability.
• Antonym固定するNeutralTo fix something in place so it cannot move; the opposite of 「揺さぶる」 in its physical shaking sense.
• Antonym安定させるNeutralTo make something stable or settle it; the opposite of 「揺さぶる」 in its unsettling, shake-someone-up sense.

Use 「揺さぶる」 to shake something hard or to unsettle a person's heart or an opponent, as in 「肩を揺さぶる」「心を揺さぶる」. To set something swaying, 「揺らす」 (often gentle) or 「揺する」 (which can also be rough) also work; for a major shock that rocks the world or a principle, choose 「揺るがす」. When something shakes on its own, use the intransitive 「揺れる」 or 「揺らぐ」, and for trembling 「震える」 (or 「震わせる」 to make something tremble). The opposites are 「固定する」 (fix in place) and 「安定させる」 (make stable).

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 外そとから力ちからを加くわえて揺り動ゆりうごかす。
2. 相手あいてを動揺どうようさせる。
3. 心こころを動うごかす。感動かんどうさせる。
4. 投手とうしゅが投球とうきゅうのコースや球種きゅうしゅを変かえて打者だしゃを動揺どうようさせる。
5. 守備陣しゅびじんを振り回ふりまわして混乱こんらんさせるよう企図きとする。