earthquake
noun
earth·quake
ˈərth-ˌkwāk 
1
: a shaking or trembling of the earth that is volcanic or tectonic in origin
2
Examples of earthquake in a Sentence
a building destroyed by earthquake
the San Andreas Fault is notorious for its earthquakes
Recent Examples on the Web
The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say.
—
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Jan. 2026
On the contrary, large parts of the globe are quite densely dotted with seismic sensors designed to detect earthquakes, and those measurements are mostly openly available online.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Last year, the country was rocked by a powerful earthquake, which forced the junta to make a rare appeal to the international community for help, even as ethnic armed groups claimed the junta carried out strikes in areas damaged by the earthquake and attacked aid convoys.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
The aftermath included speculation that the earthquake would affect all professional sports in the Bay Area.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for earthquake
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Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Jan. 2026
On the contrary, large parts of the globe are quite densely dotted with seismic sensors designed to detect earthquakes, and those measurements are mostly openly available online.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Last year, the country was rocked by a powerful earthquake, which forced the junta to make a rare appeal to the international community for help, even as ethnic armed groups claimed the junta carried out strikes in areas damaged by the earthquake and attacked aid convoys.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
The aftermath included speculation that the earthquake would affect all professional sports in the Bay Area.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for earthquake
Cite this Entry
“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earthquake. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
earthquake
noun
earth·quake
ˈərth-ˌkwāk
: a shaking or trembling of a portion of the earth
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