epicenter
noun
epi·cen·ter
ˈe-pi-ˌsen-tər 
1
: the part of the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake compare hypocenter sense 1
2
: center sense 2a
the epicenter of world finance
Did you know?
The meaning of epi- in epicenter is "over", so the epicenter of an earthquake lies over the center or "focus" of the quake. Epicenter can also refer to the centers of things that may seem in their own way as powerful—though not as destructive—as earthquakes. Wall Street, for example, might be said to lie at the epicenter of the financial world.
Examples of epicenter in a Sentence
by continually reinventing itself, Las Vegas has managed to remain a national epicenter for entertainment
Recent Examples on the Web
In Spartanburg County, the epicenter of the outbreak, 90% of students had required immunizations in the 2024-25 school year, among the lowest vaccination rates in the state, according to state data – with some schools there reporting much lower rates.
—
Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
Bhakre said silver has surpassed technology stocks to become the epicenter of retail fervor.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
The earthquake's epicenter was situated about 10 miles east of Walker Lake and occurred at a depth of 4 miles.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Advertisement The imprisonment and death of Aldo Moro There is a lot of ambiguity and speculation around the abduction and death of Aldo Moro, which lets The Big Fake turn conspiracy into suspenseful drama that keeps Toni close to the epicenter of the kidnapping.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
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Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
Bhakre said silver has surpassed technology stocks to become the epicenter of retail fervor.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
The earthquake's epicenter was situated about 10 miles east of Walker Lake and occurred at a depth of 4 miles.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Advertisement The imprisonment and death of Aldo Moro There is a lot of ambiguity and speculation around the abduction and death of Aldo Moro, which lets The Big Fake turn conspiracy into suspenseful drama that keeps Toni close to the epicenter of the kidnapping.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for epicenter
Cite this Entry
“Epicenter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epicenter. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
epicenter
noun
epi·cen·ter
ˈep-i-ˌsent-ər
: the part of the earth's surface directly above the starting point of an earthquake
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