1
as in quake
a shaking of the earth
the San Andreas Fault is notorious for its earthquakes
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of earthquake
According to ShakeOut, people should not wait to see if the earthquake shaking will be strong.
—
Jose Fabian, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
On this day in 1964: With a 9.2 magnitude, the most powerful earthquake recorded in North America slammed Alaska, killed over 100 people and wreaked destruction in Anchorage on Good Friday.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Large earthquakes rocked Santorini, and many of its residents fled, fearing an eruption.
—Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
An extremely large instance of calving can even shake the ground, causing a glacial earthquake, also known as a cryoseism or icequake.
To confirm the Bloop’s origin, scientists compared it closely with recorded sounds that, despite being less loud, were known to have come from polar ice.
—Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for earthquake
Jose Fabian, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
On this day in 1964: With a 9.2 magnitude, the most powerful earthquake recorded in North America slammed Alaska, killed over 100 people and wreaked destruction in Anchorage on Good Friday.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Large earthquakes rocked Santorini, and many of its residents fled, fearing an eruption.
—Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
An extremely large instance of calving can even shake the ground, causing a glacial earthquake, also known as a cryoseism or icequake.
To confirm the Bloop’s origin, scientists compared it closely with recorded sounds that, despite being less loud, were known to have come from polar ice.
—Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for earthquake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earthquake
Noun
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Those who noticed the quake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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People outside might also feel a quake of this magnitude.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The upheaval across commodities and manufacturing is putting upward pressure on global inflation and weighing on economic growth.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
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But gaps the size of ours are breeding frustration and distrust, fraying the social fabric and creating the conditions for instability and upheaval.—
Russell Hancock,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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By the time symptoms first appear, the majority of these cells are lost forever, meaning the disease can progress for years before any of the telltale physical symptoms emerge—tremors, stiffness and slowness of movement, among others.—
Todd Weissman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
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Until recently, scientists could only manually read through graphs of seismic recordings to pick out tremors, then use the data to trace the movements of magma that caused them.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When a white suburban jury acquitted the LAPD officers who beat Black motorist Rodney King, protesters spilled into the Slot and set the nearby landmark palm trees on fire — a precursor for the unrest to come.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
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So when, in December 2025, thousands of ICE agents descended upon the Twin Cities, initiating two months of unrest and violence, restaurants were not at the forefront of the headlines, but acutely absorbing its impact.—
David Farley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Fidel Castro led Cuba for nearly five decades after the communist revolution in 1959, nationalizing industry on the island and bringing Havana close to the then-Soviet Union before handing power to his brother, Raúl Castro.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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The move away from the revolution’s traditional red toward softer colors signals not a rupture, but a recalibration.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Even minor changes in clouds, wind or storms can force delays, especially for a mission of this scale.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Earthquake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earthquake. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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