earthquake

noun

ˈərth-ˌkwāk How to pronounce earthquake (audio)
Definition of earthquakenext
1
as in quake
a shaking of the earth the San Andreas Fault is notorious for its earthquakes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order) the election of the socialist candidate caused a political earthquake that nearly led to a military coup

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of earthquake The earthquake's epicenter was about 10 miles northwest of Westmorland and occurred at a depth of 2 miles. — Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026 Learning from others Other countries that have experienced higher magnitude earthquakes with less damage, can serve as models to follow, Martinez Cruzado said. — Syra Ortiz-Blanes, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026 The caregiver is a Haitian woman in her 60s who came to the US after the 2010 earthquake. — Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for earthquake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earthquake
  1. quake
  2. upheaval
  3. tremor
  4. unrest
  5. revolution
  6. storm
Noun
  • Not necessarily in magnitude — though the Vrancea zone is geologically capable of producing a magnitude 8 quake — but in damages and deaths.
    — Andrei Popoviciu, The Dial, 21 July 2026
  • Shaking from a quake could damage wharves, piers, buildings and roadway above the seawall.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of quake
Noun
  • Opera Carolina lawsuits and turnover Opera Carolina has seen significant upheaval since 2024, including public and internal criticism over questions regarding nepotism and the leadership structure.
    — Catherine Muccigrosso July 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026
  • Cassidy grilled both Schwartz and Kaufman at a committee hearing last week, questioning whether Schwartz would have autonomy in her role after CDC upheaval last year and raising Kaufman’s past remarks about vaccines.
    — Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
Definition of upheaval
Noun
  • For the last few years, my dad, an Army veteran with my bone-dry sense of humor, has fought a progressive neurological disorder that causes severe tremors in his arms, legs and neck.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026
  • People who develop racing heartbeats, tremors, anxiety, insomnia, reflux, headaches or reproducible palpitations after drinking coffee should not ignore those symptoms simply because population studies are reassuring.
    — Robert Glatter, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of tremor
Noun
  • Protesters have been calling for accountability after allegations entrance exams to esteemed medical schools had been leaked and sold, with the unrest led by a youth campaign known as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • Los Angeles was the site of significant unrest following raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
    — Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of unrest
Noun
  • First, a Reuters report discusses electricity suppliers needed to cover new global data centers (which has created its own revolution).
    — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • By the 1960s, both Holman and Clift were too deeply scarred to benefit from the decade’s social revolutions.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 23 July 2026
Definition of revolution
Noun
  • The storm system that caused historic flooding in West Virginia Tuesday into Wednesday and wreaked havoc from the Ohio Valley to the East Coast will linger across Virginia and the Southeast through the end of the week.
    — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
  • Onlookers watched the storm surge at the Lake Pontchartrain estuary, with kids splashing in the floodwaters as Bertha approached the Louisiana Coast.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
Definition of storm

Browse Nearby Words

earthly
earthquake
earthquakes
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Cite this Entry

“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earthquake. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on earthquake

Nglish: Translation of earthquake for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about earthquake

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