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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of earthquake
But according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, even though 90% of the country’s earthquakes are in California, only 10% of the state’s residents have earthquake insurance.
—
Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
On this day in 1964: With a 9.2 magnitude, the most powerful earthquake recorded in North America slammed Alaska, killed over 100 people and wreaked destruction in Anchorage on Good Friday.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Large earthquakes rocked Santorini, and many of its residents fled, fearing an eruption.
—Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
An extremely large instance of calving can even shake the ground, causing a glacial earthquake, also known as a cryoseism or icequake.
To confirm the Bloop’s origin, scientists compared it closely with recorded sounds that, despite being less loud, were known to have come from polar ice.
—Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for earthquake
Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
On this day in 1964: With a 9.2 magnitude, the most powerful earthquake recorded in North America slammed Alaska, killed over 100 people and wreaked destruction in Anchorage on Good Friday.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Large earthquakes rocked Santorini, and many of its residents fled, fearing an eruption.
—Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
An extremely large instance of calving can even shake the ground, causing a glacial earthquake, also known as a cryoseism or icequake.
To confirm the Bloop’s origin, scientists compared it closely with recorded sounds that, despite being less loud, were known to have come from polar ice.
—Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for earthquake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earthquake
Noun
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Those who felt the quake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Apr. 2026
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Afghanistan lies in a highly seismically active part of the world, and quakes have caused thousands of deaths in recent years.—
Elena Becatoros,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The upheaval across commodities and manufacturing is putting upward pressure on global inflation and weighing on economic growth.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
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But gaps the size of ours are breeding frustration and distrust, fraying the social fabric and creating the conditions for instability and upheaval.—
Russell Hancock,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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It was started by a Philadelphia patient who no longer has Parkinson's tremors.—
Stephanie Stahl,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
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The 41 countries represented came from all continents except Antarctica, a reflection of the global tremors from a war that has sparked shortages of fuel and fertilizer and higher prices for food far beyond the Middle East.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This time around, though, heavy casualties risk triggering internal mass unrest in a nation where a sizable portion of the population is anti-regime, regardless of their religious embrace of martyrdom.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
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After the 2020 unrest, however, City Hall moved to expand and elevate that model.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For more than two decades, the socialist revolution launched by Hugo Chávez appeared to have permanently reshaped Venezuela, creating a ruling system sustained by patronage, military loyalty and international alliances that seemed built to outlast any single leader.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
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The Philadelphia punks sound like they were swept off to the Middle Ages in a mosh pit and immediately started a revolution.—
Brad Sanders,
Pitchfork,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As for where the strongest storms will be, Hinton said forecast models point to closer to the coastline.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
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The series highlights systemic inequities and the government’s failures, revealing how the storm exacerbated existing social injustices while providing a platform for local voices to reclaim their story and share resilience, grief, and wisdom for future generations.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earthquake. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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