hypocenter

noun

hy·​po·​cen·​ter ˈhī-pə-ˌsen-tər How to pronounce hypocenter (audio)
1
: the focus of an earthquake compare epicenter sense 1
2
: the point on the earth's surface directly below the center of a nuclear bomb explosion
hypocentral adjective

Examples of hypocenter in a Sentence

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.
At the speed of light, a trillion of them passed through those near the bomb’s hypocenter. R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025 This created a fireball that bathed everything within about a two kilometer radius of the hypocenter in about 3–4,000℃ heat. Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025 Near the hypocenter, where the bomb detonated about 2,000 feet above, is a peace memorial park and museum that includes the iconic atomic dome. Mai Nishiyama, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2025 Hours before the official ceremony, as the sun rose over Hiroshima, survivors and their families started paying tribute to the victims at the Peace Memorial Park, near the hypocenter of the nuclear blast 80 years ago. Mari Yamaguchi, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025 The hibakusha testimonies were labelled by city, gender, and distance from the hypocenter. E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 16 June 2025 When an earthquake happens, seismic waves spread from the hypocenter in all directions, traveling through Earth. David Bressan, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025 The hypocenter – the specific spot beneath the earth’s surface where an earthquake originates, also known as the focus – was at a depth of 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles), according to the USGS. Joedy McCreary, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024 Each station captures data about how much the earth moves and vibrates during a temblor and how much energy moves out from the hypocenter, or the site of an earthquake under the planet's surface. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hypocenter was in 1905

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hypocenter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocenter. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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