earthquake

noun

ˈərth-ˌkwāk How to pronounce earthquake (audio)
Definition of earthquakenext
1
as in quake
a shaking of the earth the San Andreas Fault is notorious for its earthquakes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order) the election of the socialist candidate caused a political earthquake that nearly led to a military coup

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of earthquake Although television coverage suggested the capital had escaped the widespread structural destruction visible in communities closer to the epicenter, the earthquake caused major disruptions to daily life. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026 Shallow earthquakes do lead to more shaking being felt at the surface, though. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026 The earthquake was felt in Panama City and in San José, the capital of neighboring Costa Rica, according to Reuters. — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026 To have measles spreading so aggressively again now, a quarter century after this momentous occasion, is not some unfortunate but unavoidable expression of nature, like an earthquake. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for earthquake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earthquake
  1. quake
  2. upheaval
  3. tremor
  4. unrest
  5. revolution
  6. storm
Noun
  • Residents in multiple cities - including Menifee, Winchester and Sun City - reported experiencing the quake, according to the USGS DYFI report.
    — CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The threat of tsunami has likely largely receded, says USGS seismologist Susan Hough, as the quake occurred on land and happened at a relatively shallow depth.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of quake
Noun
  • Political upheaval The prosecutions have unfolded against the backdrop of dramatic changes in relations between Washington and Caracas.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
  • As Japan entered a period of political upheaval in the mid-nineteenth century, criminal gangs became useful in a new way.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of upheaval
Noun
  • No one sat closer to the tremors than Brad White, Florida’s new defensive leader and longtime friend of new coach Jon Sumrall.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The quiet catcher had loudly blasted a ball that sent Chavez Ravine into tremors.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of tremor
Noun
  • The island, known for its luxury beach resorts, last experienced similar unrest in 1999, when the death of a popular musician in police custody sparked days of rioting.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Israel and Western countries then boycotted its government, fueling months of unrest and fighting that led to the Hamas takeover of Gaza the next year.
    — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of unrest
Noun
  • Major technology revolutions have always triggered dramatic boom-bust cycles.
    — RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Few contemporary authors embody that idea more than Becky Chambers, whose stories imagine alternative futures—not through grand revolutions or galaxy-spanning battles but through ordinary people trying to care for one another.
    — Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of revolution
Noun
  • After the initial blast, which spews out gamma rays, a storm of radiation pours into the surrounding galaxy, creating a ferocious afterglow that burns in every part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • After this week’s storm, temperatures are expected to climb back into the upper 70s and low 80s through the weekend.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of storm

Browse Nearby Words

earthly
earthquake
earthquakes
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Cite this Entry

“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earthquake. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on earthquake

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about earthquake

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