subduction

noun

sub·​duc·​tion (ˌ)səb-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce subduction (audio)
: the action or process in plate tectonics of the edge of one crustal plate descending below the edge of another
subduct verb

Examples of subduction 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.
But Dura's group took a closer look at a different threat that could happen very suddenly—land dropping by up to two meters during a major earthquake along the Cascadia subduction zone, which stretches from Northern California to Washington. Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025 The coast that extends from northern California to Vancouver Island in British Columbia sits on a subduction zone where the Juan de Fuca, Explorer and Gorda oceanic plates slip beneath the North American continental plate—parts of the ever moving slabs of rock that make up our planet. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 30 Apr. 2025 Those are the findings of a new study that examined the repercussions of a massive earthquake on the Cascadia subduction zone, which stretches from Northern California up to Canada’s Vancouver Island. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2025 This study underscores the need to consider combined earthquake and climate impacts in planning for coastal resilience at the Cascadia subduction zone and globally. Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for subduction

Word History

Etymology

French, from Late Latin subduction-, subductio withdrawal, from Latin subducere to withdraw, from sub- + ducere to draw — more at tow entry 1

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of subduction was in 1970

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Cite this Entry

“Subduction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subduction. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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