earthquake

noun

earth·​quake ˈərth-ˌkwāk How to pronounce earthquake (audio)
Synonyms of earthquakenext
1
: a shaking or trembling of the earth that is volcanic or tectonic in origin
2
: upheaval sense 2

Synonyms of earthquake

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Examples of earthquake in a Sentence

a building destroyed by earthquake the San Andreas Fault is notorious for its earthquakes
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The earthquake's epicenter was approximately 9 miles southeast of Petrolia and occurred at a depth of 7 miles. — Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Unger also claimed in the FPPC complaint that the board overpaid for the land, and that an earthquake fault running through it calls into question the feasibility of building there. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 But halfway through the trip, an earthquake strikes, causing an avalanche that destroys their mountainside path, separates them from John and strands them 4,000 feet in the air. — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026 North Korea’s state media regularly hailed citizens who, amid earthquakes and floods, laid down their lives to protect sacral images of Kim Il Sung. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for earthquake

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of earthquake was in the 14th century

Rhymes for earthquake

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Browse Nearby Words

earth quadrant
earthquake
earthquaked
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Cite this Entry

“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earthquake. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

earthquake

noun
earth·​quake ˈərth-ˌkwāk How to pronounce earthquake (audio)
: a shaking or trembling of a portion of the earth

More from Merriam-Webster on earthquake

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about earthquake

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