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
Large fires broke out in Wajima overnight, destroying homes that had not already been hit by the initial earthquake.
—
Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 26 June 2024
Among the elements the online audience called out at the time were the theme song’s Spanish being grammatically incorrect, the name of the show’s fictional town being a reference to earthquakes and even the yellow tint of the skyline.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2024
Chris Young 19 days ago 0 Science Shape of things to come: How fault geometry dictates earthquake formations
Geometry could be the key to understanding when and where devastating earthquakes will form.
—Interesting Engineering, 23 June 2024
That difference stems from a longstanding convention: FEMA responds to natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes — disasters with major and obvious damage to physical infrastructure.
—Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 18 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for earthquake 
Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 26 June 2024
Among the elements the online audience called out at the time were the theme song’s Spanish being grammatically incorrect, the name of the show’s fictional town being a reference to earthquakes and even the yellow tint of the skyline.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2024
Chris Young 19 days ago 0 Science Shape of things to come: How fault geometry dictates earthquake formations
Geometry could be the key to understanding when and where devastating earthquakes will form.
—Interesting Engineering, 23 June 2024
That difference stems from a longstanding convention: FEMA responds to natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes — disasters with major and obvious damage to physical infrastructure.
—Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 18 June 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.
Articles Related to earthquake
Dictionary Entries Near earthquake
Cite this Entry
“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earthquake. Accessed 3 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
earthquake
noun
earth·quake
ˈərth-ˌkwāk
: a shaking or trembling of a portion of the earth
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share