earthquake

noun

earth·​quake ˈərth-ˌkwāk 

1

: a shaking or trembling of the earth that is volcanic or tectonic in origin

2

: upheaval sense 2

Synonyms

• quake
• tremor

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 bitcoin price has fallen under $112,000 per bitcoin this last week, down from a peak of $123,000 in July (though traders are bracing for a fresh BlackRock earthquake). —Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025

Anyone who saw the first go-round will know what a rumbling earthquake felt only by the four ladies portends. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025

Experts suggest the earthquake may have triggered a volcano-tectonic event, a known precursor when seismic stress agitates dormant magma chambers. —Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Aug. 2025

Those clear skies are ideal for stargazing, too, so head up to the Atlas Mountains 60 miles or so away for nighttime adventures; after a devastating earthquake in September 2023, the High Atlas Mountains region is recovering and has bounced back thanks in large part to tourism. —Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 1 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for earthquake

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• eastlake
• forsake
• handshake
• headache
• heartache

Kids Definition

earthquake

noun

earth·​quake ˈərth-ˌkwāk 

: a shaking or trembling of a portion of the earth