1
as in quake
a shaking of the earth
the San Andreas Fault is notorious for its earthquakes
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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
The earthquake, which ruptured along the Sagaing Fault, was followed by a strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock, and caused widespread damage.
—
Brian Bennett, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Construction of an undersea tunnel in the Bering Strait would require Musk's Boring Company to work through below-freezing temperatures in a region without existing infrastructure and with deep and frequent earthquakes.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2025
The flurry of contradictions in the wake of the earthquake did not end there.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
During this time, the Irpinia earthquake delivers the final blow to the already fragile balance of the New Organized Camorra criminal organization [that originated in the region of Campania and is one of the oldest and largest criminal organizations in Italy, dating to the 18th century].
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for earthquake
Brian Bennett, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Construction of an undersea tunnel in the Bering Strait would require Musk's Boring Company to work through below-freezing temperatures in a region without existing infrastructure and with deep and frequent earthquakes.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2025
The flurry of contradictions in the wake of the earthquake did not end there.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
During this time, the Irpinia earthquake delivers the final blow to the already fragile balance of the New Organized Camorra criminal organization [that originated in the region of Campania and is one of the oldest and largest criminal organizations in Italy, dating to the 18th century].
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for earthquake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earthquake
Noun
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Each quake’s impact depends on its depth, magnitude, and proximity to populated areas.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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Those who noticed the quake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Each storm sparked a wave of scientific inquiry, until, in the early twentieth century, scientists finally understood why electrifying societies had grown precariously vulnerable to environmental upheavals on the Sun.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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With such upheaval in the front line, some teething problems are understandable.—
Jamie Barton,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Clavel’s isn’t an especially showy performance, but one of impressive precision, suggesting entire emotional worlds through the smallest gestures — a glance withheld or a tremor in the voice.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
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Weak shaking has been registered and several people reported experiencing the tremor in and around the Healdsburg area according to the USGS DYFI report.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The unrest presents a test for Hassan, who won plaudits after taking office in 2021 for easing repression of opponents and censorship that had increased under her predecessor John Magufuli.—
Reuters 10 hr ago,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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Three people with knowledge of those interests said there was consternation among insiders that forcing Maduro out could foment chaos and unrest and impede their access.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In the wake of the accident, and others related to air traffic control, some called to integrate the powerful technologies behind the AI automation revolution.—
Eoin Higgins,
Fortune,
29 Oct. 2025
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Here’s What Real Pro-Family Policy Looks Like Today, some political leaders want to reverse that revolution.—
Stephanie Psaki,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In addition to preserving natural ecosystems and the sustainable fisheries that depend on them, reefs may help to protect coastlines from storms and floods, which will become ever more urgent as climate change and rising sea levels give rise to more dangerous storms.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
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After several major storms led to erosion, those seats have been moved up to a little bluff, just in front of the two pools (thankfully, the beautiful view remains the same).—
Jacqui Gifford,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earthquake. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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