earthquake

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A sudden strong shaking of the ground caused by movements deep inside the Earth.

   Grammar: Countable: one earthquake, two earthquakes; also used with an: an earthquake.

   Patterns

   • a big/small earthquake
   • an earthquake hits/strikes somewhere
   • the earthquake destroyed something

   A powerful earthquake struck the coast early this morning.

   Many buildings collapsed in the earthquake.

   Scientists recorded a small earthquake near the volcano.

2. 2nouncountablefigurative

   A very strong disagreement or change that shakes a group or system.

   Grammar: Often used figuratively: a political earthquake, an earthquake in the market.

   Patterns

   • a political earthquake
   • an earthquake in the party

   The election result was a political earthquake.

   The scandal caused an earthquake in the banking world.

Word forms

Common combinations

a massive earthquake

A massive earthquake destroyed the city in 1906.

earthquake damage

The earthquake damage was worse than expected.

earthquake insurance

Do you have earthquake insurance for your home?

the earthquake hit

The earthquake hit at 3 a.m. while everyone was asleep.

earthquake zone

Japan is in a major earthquake zone.

Synonyms and how they differ

quake

Quake is an informal short form; use earthquake in news and formal writing.

tremor

A tremor is a small earthquake or a shaking feeling; it is usually weaker than an earthquake.

shock

Shock can mean a sudden violent movement, but it is less specific than earthquake.

Word family

earth noun

The ground or the planet we live on.

quake verb

To shake or tremble, often used for the ground.

earthquake-prone adjective

Often having earthquakes; used before a noun.

Commonly confused: earthquake or tornado? earthquake or tsunami?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “earthquake”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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