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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of earthquake
The impact of a magnitude earthquake in the 6.1 to 6.9 range is possible damage in heavily populated areas, per Michigan Technological University.
—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Most earthquakes do not produce surface rupture, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
The original flag was lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fires.
—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
12 June 2026
Three earthquakes greater than magnitude 7 have shaken up Southern California in the last three decades: the magnitude 7.1 Hector Mine earthquake of 1999, the 2010 magnitude 7.2 Easter Sunday Baja California Sierra El Mayor earthquake and the magnitude 7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake of 2019.
—
Shelby Grad,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for earthquake
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Most earthquakes do not produce surface rupture, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
The original flag was lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fires.
—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
12 June 2026
Three earthquakes greater than magnitude 7 have shaken up Southern California in the last three decades: the magnitude 7.1 Hector Mine earthquake of 1999, the 2010 magnitude 7.2 Easter Sunday Baja California Sierra El Mayor earthquake and the magnitude 7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake of 2019.
—
Shelby Grad,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for earthquake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earthquake
Noun
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Decades of Hollywood empire-building ended with a quake in 2017 when Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch decided to sell much of his Fox entertainment holdings amid the rise of Netflix and other tech giants.
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And six days after the quakes, rescuers brought out a toddler alive—a reminder that hope in these operations is not a sentiment but a procedure, sustained one careful excavation at a time.
Noun
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Was came from a working-class industrial city, making music reflective of Detroit’s technological upheaval and economic neglect.
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Unlike larger corporate counterparts, SMEs don't always have the financial reserves to comfortably absorb geopolitical upheaval and rapid inflation.
Noun
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Nearly 2,000 people are confirmed dead, with tens of thousands still missing following the tremors.
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Many remain unwilling to return to homes that survived the initial earthquakes but may now be structurally compromised by the continuing tremors.
Noun
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Haiti also did it without playing a single qualifying match in Haiti because of unrest.
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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party retained its large parliamentary majority in recent elections overshadowed by unrest in Africa’s second-most-populous country.
Noun
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The result, historians say, has become a centralized, more politicized spectacle, marking the national milestone as a celebration of an imperial presidency rather than a revolution from kingly rule.
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The company that manufactures the hardware powering the AI revolution acknowledges that the technology is more expensive than the people it was supposed to augment.
Noun
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Eagle avoided the brunt of the storm as the crew navigated toward open ocean.
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Local Idaho agencies have spent days addressing storm damage caused by a low-pressure system from the Gulf of Alaska that brought winds over 50 mph, lightning, hail and more than an inch of rain to some areas.
Cite this Entry
“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earthquake. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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