aftershock

noun

af·​ter·​shock ˈaf-tər-ˌshäk How to pronounce aftershock (audio)
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
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.
Yet the aftershocks of 2008 continue, and today’s economic pressures—rising costs, stagnant wages, global instability—are forcing a reckoning. Benjamin Van Der Lande, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025 Less than two hours after the initial quake, some areas experienced 13 different aftershocks, ranging from 5.1 to 3.1, the USGS reported. Terry Collins, USA Today, 8 June 2025 There is a 5% chance of a magnitude 4 or larger aftershock occurring in the next week, according to USGS Operational Aftershock Forecasts. Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 10 May 2025 There is a 5 percent chance of an aftershock over 4 magnitude and less than a 1 percent chance of an aftershock of 5 magnitude and above. Update 5/10/25, 12:06 p.m. Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for aftershock

Word History

Etymology

after- + shock entry 1

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of aftershock was in 1847

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Cite this Entry

“Aftershock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aftershock. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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