aftershock

noun

af·ter·shock | \ -ˌshäk

Definition of aftershock

1 : an aftereffect of a distressing or traumatic event

2 : a minor shock following the main shock of an earthquake

Examples of aftershock in a Sentence

The first aftershock came just minutes after the earthquake.

Recent Examples on the Web

Students in Anchorage, Alaska, went back to school on Monday for the first time since a November 30 earthquake, even as aftershocks continued to shake residents, literally and figuratively. — Libby Nelson, Vox, "Vox Sentences: Trump is still remaking the judiciary," 12 Dec. 2018 Ever since, the city has continued to feel the quieter aftershocks, in ways that reflect deep fissures in American society. — James Loeffler, WSJ, "The Struggle for Charlottesville," 10 Aug. 2018 In August, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake and a series of aftershocks slammed the resort island of Lombok, killing more than 500 people. — Jake Maxwell Wattsand I Made Sentana, WSJ, "Anak Krakatau Danger Zone Widened as Indonesia Ends a Deadly 2018," 27 Dec. 2018 But there is just little reason to think at this point that there will be any meaningful political aftershocks for the upcoming shutdown. — Dylan Scott, Vox, "Why the blame game over the government shutdown is pointless," 21 Dec. 2018 And the weather wasn’t the only natural element being a pain — the ground shook with near constant aftershocks. — Mary Beth Griggs, The Verge, "How Alaska fixed its earthquake-shattered roads in just days," 8 Dec. 2018 Lombok and the surrounding islands—including Bali—have felt more than 130 aftershocks, including one that registered as 5.4, The New York Times reports. — Meredith Carey, Condé Nast Traveler, "Lombok Earthquake Kills 100, Strands Tourists on Indonesian Islands," 6 Aug. 2018 Since the quake, there have been frequent aftershocks. — Audrey Mcavoy And Jae C. Hong, chicagotribune.com, "Hawaii officials plead for visitors to keep travel plans," 11 May 2018 Meteorological agency officials warned of strong aftershocks in the area, urging residents to stay away from damaged structures. — Washington Post, "Strong quake near Osaka, Japan, kills 3, knocks over walls," 18 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aftershock.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.