1
as in quakes
a shaking of the earth
the San Andreas Fault is notorious for its earthquakes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in upheavals
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
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Recent Examples of earthquakes
From wildfires fueled by heat and drought to floods and debris flows following record rainfall — and the ever-present risk of earthquakes — natural disasters are an ongoing reality in Southern California.
—
Cox Communications, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
In 2022 a swarm of earthquakes in the Azores suggested that an eruption was imminent, but none happened.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
Recently, stellar scientists have been studying the interiors of red giants using starquakes just as seismologists here on Earth use seismic waves and earthquakes to investigate the interior of our planet.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026
The Richter Scale measures earthquakes with 1 being the lowest and 9 being the strongest.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
That makes for five minor quakes since Easter Sunday, all centered in a region where earthquakes have been uncommon in the past 26 years.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2026
From wildfires fueled by heat and drought to floods and debris flows following record rainfall — and the ever-present risk of earthquakes — natural disasters are an ongoing reality in Southern California.
—Cox Communications, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Its depth protects against tornadoes, floods and earthquakes.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2026
Cox Communications, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
In 2022 a swarm of earthquakes in the Azores suggested that an eruption was imminent, but none happened.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
Recently, stellar scientists have been studying the interiors of red giants using starquakes just as seismologists here on Earth use seismic waves and earthquakes to investigate the interior of our planet.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026
The Richter Scale measures earthquakes with 1 being the lowest and 9 being the strongest.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
That makes for five minor quakes since Easter Sunday, all centered in a region where earthquakes have been uncommon in the past 26 years.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2026
From wildfires fueled by heat and drought to floods and debris flows following record rainfall — and the ever-present risk of earthquakes — natural disasters are an ongoing reality in Southern California.
—Cox Communications, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Its depth protects against tornadoes, floods and earthquakes.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earthquakes
Noun
-
By detecting more than 18,000 additional quakes, scientists were able to better understand what had occurred, and where, beneath São Jorge.—
Robin George Andrews,
Scientific American,
23 Apr. 2026
-
That makes for five minor quakes since Easter Sunday, all centered in a region where earthquakes have been uncommon in the past 26 years.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The vaccination campaign for measles was disrupted during Bangladesh's recent political upheavals.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
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Sitting around a wood stove and drinking cups of coffee and tea, the residents reflected on the upheavals that had become a regular feature of their lives.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Reports revealed tremors were also felt across a wide area, including in the capital Tokyo, hundreds of miles to the south.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Apr. 2026
-
By the end of 2025, even states that had never depended on buying goods from abroad were feeling tariff tremors in their own way.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Architectural revolutions in health care are rare, and institutions do not easily relinquish their position at the center of the record.—
Celina Yong,
STAT,
16 Apr. 2026
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Some commemorate revolutions, like Mexico City’s Monumento a la Revolución, and others, like Lisbon’s Rua Augusta Arch, symbolize the strength of a people.—
Marco Hernandez,
New York Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Earthquakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earthquakes. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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