earthquake

noun

earth·​quake ˈərth-ˌkwāk How to pronounce earthquake (audio)
1
: a shaking or trembling of the earth that is volcanic or tectonic in origin
2

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
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.
Weak shaking was observed in Redwood City and the surrounding area, where several residents reported feeling the earthquake, according to the USGS DYFI report. Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025 In 2021, it was also struck by a major earthquake and has yet to fully recover. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025 Triggered by a strong earthquake that dumped 40 million tons of rock into the bay at once, the tsunami killed five people and wiped away two square miles of forest along the shore. Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025 Agran has suggested moving the canisters at SONGS to higher ground on the inland side of Interstate 5 at Camp Pendleton to better protect them from floods, earthquakes, tsunamis or potential terrorist attacks. Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for earthquake

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of earthquake was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earthquake. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

earthquake

noun
earth·​quake ˈərth-ˌkwāk How to pronounce earthquake (audio)
: a shaking or trembling of a portion of the earth

More from Merriam-Webster on earthquake

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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