aftershock

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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

See aftershock defined for English-language learners

Examples of aftershock in a Sentence

The first aftershock came just minutes after the earthquake.

Recent Examples of aftershock from the Web

La Liga giants Barcelona are allegedly targeting Manuel Lanzini, as a potential signing to ease the aftershock of Neymar's departure.

— SI.com, "Barcelona Reportedly Target Impressive Hammers Star Manuel Lanzini as Alternative to Coutinho," 24 Aug. 2017
The aftershocks are still being felt within Southlake Carroll volleyball.

— kevin lonnquist, star-telegram, "Southlake Carroll lost one of the best volleyball players in the country. Now what?," 11 Aug. 2017
But, even as world leaders and ordinary citizens alike immediately began struggling to process the metaphorical aftershocks, one specific set of people had to face something else.

— TIME.com, "Survivors of the Atomic Blasts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki share their stories," 6 Aug. 2017
In the TV version of the plot, things were (mostly) returned to normal within an hour, albeit with specific aftershocks that drove future episodes.

— graeme mcmillan, The Hollywood Reporter, "New 'Flash' Movie Title Suggests It Could Shake Up the DC Universe," 22 July 2017
And its aftershocks are rippling far across the country. * * * The roots of Operation Dignity lie in the aftermath of the 2012 jihadist attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission that killed Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.

— frederic wehrey, The Atlantic, "'Whoever Controls Benghazi Controls Libya'," 1 July 2017
The aftershocks of his death reverberate through every frame of Season 3 as Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and Detective Sgt.

— david zurawik, baltimoresun.com, "The 10 best TV shows so far this year have a common theme: Women rule," 30 June 2017
Preliminary earthquake information shows that about 28 minor aftershocks occurred in the area, ranging in magnitude from 0.6. to 3.2 following the 3.7 magnitude shaker.

— bill lindelof, sacbee.com, "Truckee area shakes: 28 earthquakes are registered in Sierra," 27 June 2017
Since its 1990 debut, the Tremors franchise has grown to include several direct-to-video sequels, such as the 1996 follow-up, Tremors 2: Aftershocks, which featured original franchise co-star Fred Ward as Earl Bassett.

— nick vadala, Philly.com, "'Tremors' revival TV series starring Kevin Bacon ordered to pilot at SyFy," 27 June 2017

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.

First Known Use of aftershock

1847

AFTERSHOCK Defined for English Language Learners

aftershock

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noun

Definition of aftershock for English Language Learners

: a smaller earthquake that occurs after a larger one

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See words that rhyme with aftershock Britannica English: Translation of aftershock for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about aftershock

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aftershock

Definition of aftershock

Examples of aftershock in a Sentence

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AFTERSHOCK Defined for English Language Learners

aftershock

Definition of aftershock for English Language Learners

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