as in earthquakes
a shaking of the earth
the quake registered 6.5 on the Richter scale, causing widespread damage
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in shakes
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
the horror film was so scary it left us quaking with fear for hours afterwards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quakes
Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Regional tsunami warnings have since been cancelled, according to Reuters, but the pair of quakes left behind damage to buildings and roads.
—Jillian Frankel, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
The Philippines is prone to natural disasters because of its location along the Ring of Fire, a 25,000-mile (40,000-kilometer) arc of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean home to more than half of the world’s volcanoes, and regularly experiences powerful quakes.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
At least seven people were killed in the quakes, civil defence official Ednar Dayanghirang said.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
Analysis of the ages of shells in the sediments suggest there were at least eight large earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault over the past 3,000 years that occurred within decades of significant quakes along the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 10 Oct. 2025
Seismic waves lose energy slowly on the moon, so quakes can last for hours, shaking structures much longer.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2025
Noun
Most quakes occur due to movement along faults at tectonic plate boundaries.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Regional tsunami warnings have since been cancelled, according to Reuters, but the pair of quakes left behind damage to buildings and roads.
—Jillian Frankel, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
The Philippines is prone to natural disasters because of its location along the Ring of Fire, a 25,000-mile (40,000-kilometer) arc of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean home to more than half of the world’s volcanoes, and regularly experiences powerful quakes.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
At least seven people were killed in the quakes, civil defence official Ednar Dayanghirang said.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
Analysis of the ages of shells in the sediments suggest there were at least eight large earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault over the past 3,000 years that occurred within decades of significant quakes along the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 10 Oct. 2025
Seismic waves lose energy slowly on the moon, so quakes can last for hours, shaking structures much longer.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quakes
Noun
-
It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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The Øresund Bridge is designed to withstand ship collisions, aircraft impacts, earthquakes, and high winds.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Occasional use of those protein powders isn’t as concerning as a person making protein shakes three times a day.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
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Today, Braum’s sells hamburgers, sundaes, banana splits, malts, shakes.—
Jenna Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Caplan-Auerbach is studying nearly imperceptible seismic tremors that have preceded major landslides, including the August one in Tracy Arm.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
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Some propose seismic tremors sent waves that forced the deep water upward.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Paul goes to shake her hand but jerks it back, then gives her a left-handed handshake.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This includes the addition of a thin, flat membrane called a diaphragm that vibrates and amplifies sound.—
Joshua Hutcheson,
The Conversation,
16 Oct. 2025
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This whole fictional world vibrates on Robinson’s bizarre frequency, which means Ron may just be onto something.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The music of home often quivers with nostalgia.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
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There’s a breathless mood in the air that quivers and quakes at the protests to come.—
Sara Stridsberg
September 15,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quakes. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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