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
The epicenter was located approximately 12 miles north of Indio, at a depth of just 2 miles.
—
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Revelstoke is still arguably the epicenter of heli-skiing in North America, and there are a bunch of local operators with excellent reputations.
—Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Feb. 2026
Minnesota has been the epicenter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity as of late, including the shooting death of Renee Good at the hand of a federal agent, sparking a wave of protests in the city and across the country.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 21 Jan. 2026
Milan Men’s Fashion Week remains the epicenter of heritage menswear, the place where classic ready-to-wear meets Neapolitan tailoring.
—Alejandro Badia, Footwear News, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for epicenter
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.
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Revelstoke is still arguably the epicenter of heli-skiing in North America, and there are a bunch of local operators with excellent reputations.
—Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Feb. 2026
Minnesota has been the epicenter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity as of late, including the shooting death of Renee Good at the hand of a federal agent, sparking a wave of protests in the city and across the country.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 21 Jan. 2026
Milan Men’s Fashion Week remains the epicenter of heritage menswear, the place where classic ready-to-wear meets Neapolitan tailoring.
—Alejandro Badia, Footwear News, 20 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 5 Feb. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
