the Richter scale

noun

technical
: a system of measurement used for showing the strength of an earthquake
The earthquake measured 4.5 on the Richter scale.

Examples of the Richter scale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Today's aftershocks include the 4.0 magnitude temblor just before 6 p.m. and at least 11 others, which registered at least magnitude 1.8 on the Richter scale, Clements said. NBC News, 5 Apr. 2024 Friday’s earthquake was mild compared with some felt in California or the Caribbean, rating at 4.8 on the Richter scale. Rachyl Jones, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024 Most people are at least colloquially familiar with the Richter scale. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 31 Jan. 2024 The strength of the shaking is expressed from 0-10 on the Richter scale. Sven Karabegovic, The Salt Lake Tribune, 5 Sep. 2023 In the last 24 hours, the area surrounding the lagoon experienced hundreds of earthquakes including one measuring in at 5 on the Richter scale, according to the Iceland Monitor. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2023 So who's to say what musicians might or might not be able to achieve with revolutionary intent when the bouncing crowd makes the Richter scale shake? Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2023 The crowd’s enthusiasm was at a level that quite literally could be measured on the Richter scale. Amy Phillips, Pitchfork, 16 Oct. 2023 Both Beyoncé and Swift have had powerhouse tours this year – like, move the needle on local and national economies (not to mention the Richter scale) powerful. Lisa Respers France, CNN, 7 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the Richter scale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near the Richter scale

Cite this Entry

“The Richter scale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20Richter%20scale. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!