earthquake
noun
earth·quake
ˈərth-ˌkwāk 
1
: a shaking or trembling of the earth that is volcanic or tectonic in origin
2
Examples of earthquake in a Sentence
a building destroyed by earthquake
the San Andreas Fault is notorious for its earthquakes
Recent Examples on the Web
When Taiwan’s worst earthquake in a quarter-century hit in April, factory workers were evacuated but quickly returned — a sign, Ker said, of the manufacturing hub’s resilience.
—
Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024
In one eight-hour period, there were approximately 250 earthquakes beneath Kilauea's summit region, according to the observatory.
—Alex Sundby, CBS News, 4 June 2024
During the eight hours leading up to Monday’s eruption, USGS recorded about 250 earthquakes beneath Kilauea’s summit, the largest of which was a magnitude-4.1 quake.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2024
The new bridge and buildings beneath it, which include the city lifeguard headquarters, will be designed to look the same as the old ones, but also to meet modern standards for earthquake safety, handicapped access and more.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for earthquake 
Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024
In one eight-hour period, there were approximately 250 earthquakes beneath Kilauea's summit region, according to the observatory.
—Alex Sundby, CBS News, 4 June 2024
During the eight hours leading up to Monday’s eruption, USGS recorded about 250 earthquakes beneath Kilauea’s summit, the largest of which was a magnitude-4.1 quake.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2024
The new bridge and buildings beneath it, which include the city lifeguard headquarters, will be designed to look the same as the old ones, but also to meet modern standards for earthquake safety, handicapped access and more.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for earthquake
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'earthquake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earthquake. Accessed 9 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
earthquake
noun
earth·quake
ˈərth-ˌkwāk
: a shaking or trembling of a portion of the earth
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