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
What To Know The powerful earthquake hit the Caribbean, north of Honduras and southwest of the Cayman Islands, at around 6:23 p.m. local time on Saturday.
—
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 9 Feb. 2025
Additional information collected about the earthquake may also prompt U.S.G.S. scientists to update the shake-severity map.
—New York Times, 9 Feb. 2025
The earthquake took place at 6.23 p.m. Eastern Time Saturday, the USGS reported.
—CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
No injuries were immediately reported, but hundreds have fled the island as a safety precaution, according to multiple reports, after several other earthquakes were recorded northeast of the island this week.
—Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
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Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 9 Feb. 2025
Additional information collected about the earthquake may also prompt U.S.G.S. scientists to update the shake-severity map.
—New York Times, 9 Feb. 2025
The earthquake took place at 6.23 p.m. Eastern Time Saturday, the USGS reported.
—CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
No injuries were immediately reported, but hundreds have fled the island as a safety precaution, according to multiple reports, after several other earthquakes were recorded northeast of the island this week.
—Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for earthquake
Dictionary Entries Near earthquake
Cite this Entry
“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earthquake. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
earthquake
noun
earth·quake
ˈərth-ˌkwāk
: a shaking or trembling of a portion of the earth
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