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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of earthquakes
It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.
—
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Jan. 2026
Last month, at least seven earthquakes rattled the coast of Alaska in a span of 24 hours.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
The Øresund Bridge is designed to withstand ship collisions, aircraft impacts, earthquakes, and high winds.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Jan. 2026
Last month, at least seven earthquakes rattled the coast of Alaska in a span of 24 hours.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
The Øresund Bridge is designed to withstand ship collisions, aircraft impacts, earthquakes, and high winds.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earthquakes
Noun
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Also, many of the quakes may be around the same magnitude, geologists said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
11 Jan. 2026
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The quakes were centered in a residential area just south of Bollinger Canyon Drive between Dougherty Road and Alcosta Boulevard.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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These are among the many questions posed by Simon Morrison’s sprawling biography of place, which seeks to understand a nation through the life of its largest city, tracing Moscow’s evolution via dozens of historical upheavals, from war, famine, drought, and much, much more.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
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Evans’ historic eight terms as the first Black chief judge saw the county through reforms, changes and upheavals including the elimination of cash bail and the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Madeline Buckley,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
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More than 235 people from as far away as Menlo Park and Fremont reported feeling the tremors to the agency.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
11 Jan. 2026
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Amaryllis is not typically fatal to cats and dogs, but can cause undesirable symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, salivation, and tremors.—
Maddie Topliff,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Yet as neat and tidy as this sounds, such revolutions — especially those supported by outside interference — rarely proceed tidily.—
Robert Muggah,
Fortune,
5 Jan. 2026
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The talk will encompass later American revolutions which related directly to principles expounded on in the Declaration of Independence such as abolition and women’s suffrage and civil rights.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Earthquakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earthquakes. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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