earthquake

noun

ˈərth-ˌkwāk How to pronounce earthquake (audio)
Definition of earthquakenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of earthquake The two-story, Georgian stone building that was originally built around 1680 was destroyed by an earthquake in 1840 and was last restored in 1983. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 Although television coverage suggested the capital had escaped the widespread structural destruction visible in communities closer to the epicenter, the earthquake caused major disruptions to daily life. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026 Shallow earthquakes do lead to more shaking being felt at the surface, though. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026 The earthquake was felt in Panama City and in San José, the capital of neighboring Costa Rica, according to Reuters. — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for earthquake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earthquake
  1. quake
  2. upheaval
  3. tremor
  4. unrest
  5. revolution
  6. storm
Noun
  • Rescue teams from police and fire departments were building tents to house people displaced by the quake.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Videos released by local media showed people leaving their homes as the quake struck, Reuters reported.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of quake
Noun
  • Law enforcement was heavily deployed to contain potential upheaval, but there were no new episodes of looting on Saturday, when about 10,000 protesters gathered in a peaceful demonstration in Milan.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Then, during our planet’s infancy, volcanic upheaval and deep-earth alchemy created more than a thousand new minerals.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of upheaval
Noun
  • One of his sisters, María Yailén, 15, survived the tremors, but the other, Mariangel, 12, did not.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • That said, along with its use by astronauts, the technology is also aimed at people such as those with Parkinson’s disease, whose hand tremors currently make traditional eyedrop application nearly impossible.
    — Ben Coxworth October 23, New Atlas, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of tremor
Noun
  • The unrest began after high school students took to the streets last month to denounce poor conditions and resources at their campuses.
    — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Those clashes came as social unrest has set Europe's streets ablaze from France and Italy to Spain and Portugal, fueled by youth frustration over the state of public education, social services and the high cost of housing.
    — JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of unrest
Noun
  • For Middleton and Kate, George’s departure marked a small revolution.
    — Ilaria Perrotta, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Anthropic aims to realize these benefits while navigating and preventing the risks that come with a technological revolution this fast and this powerful.
    — Robert Hart, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of revolution
Noun
  • North of the center near Kakinada, the storm could cause about 3 to 5 feet of storm surge, where onshore winds pile water against the coast.
    — Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In the wake of October 7, antisemitism has been an issue the BBC has struggled to get to grips with and documentary strand Storyville is in the eye of the storm.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of storm

Browse Nearby Words

earthly
earthquake
earthquakes
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Cite this Entry

“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earthquake. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on earthquake

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about earthquake

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