earthquake

noun

earth·​quake ˈərth-ˌkwāk How to pronounce earthquake (audio)
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
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.
The death toll from a catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit Southeast Asia on Friday drastically climbed on Saturday with reports of 1,600 dead in Myanmar and predictive modeling showing the true toll could reach 10,000. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2025 More than 1,000 people have died following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar and nearby Thailand on Friday, March 28, according to reports. Escher Walcott, People.com, 29 Mar. 2025 In Bangkok, which was also hit by the quake, rescue efforts have focused on a 30-story building that collapsed following the earthquake. Jan Camenzind Broomby, NPR, 29 Mar. 2025 The death toll from an earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand continues to rise with one prediction that fatalities could exceed 100,000. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for earthquake

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of earthquake was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earthquake. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

earthquake

noun
earth·​quake ˈərth-ˌkwāk How to pronounce earthquake (audio)
: a shaking or trembling of a portion of the earth

More from Merriam-Webster on earthquake

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!