earthquake

noun

earth·​quake ˈərth-ˌkwāk How to pronounce earthquake (audio)
Synonyms of earthquakenext
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.
Haitian immigrants became eligible after an earthquake rocked the country in 2010. Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026 The Garden State has seen a number of earthquakes in the past few years, with one of the stronger ones hitting in April 2024. Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026 The earthquake's epicenter was situated about 7 miles west of Pine Valley and occurred at a depth of 11 miles. Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 31 Jan. 2026 One of the speakers at the earthquake vigil was Marleine Bastien, a Miami-Dade County commissioner and the founder of the nonprofit Family Action Network Movement, which organized the event. Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026 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 4 Feb. 2026.

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

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