aftershock
noun
af·ter·shock
ˈaf-tər-ˌshäk 
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
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
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.
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
Cite this Entry
“Aftershock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aftershock. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share