aftershock

noun

af·​ter·​shock ˈaf-tər-ˌshäk How to pronounce aftershock (audio)
1
: an aftereffect of a distressing or traumatic event
2
: a minor shock following the main shock of an earthquake

Examples of aftershock in a Sentence

The first aftershock came just minutes after the earthquake.
Recent Examples on the Web In November 2022, the company posted an expectation-exceeding profit, even in the aftershocks of the pandemic and high inflation. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 In 2008, Grosz felt the tremble of the Great Recession and just five years later, the aftershock of the Detroit bankruptcy. Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024 After the earthquake, officials issued a major tsunami warning, which was later downgraded, although residents are continually warned of impacts from the aftershocks, and waves reached heights of three feet in some areas along Japan's central west coast. USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 The largest aftershock was a preliminary 3.3 magnitude earthquake at 12:12 p.m. PST. Brandon Downs, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2024 In Turkey, a powerful aftershock of magnitude 7.5 followed, destroying buildings that had already been rendered unstable. Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 2 Jan. 2024 In the meantime, despite the crime and the ongoing aftershocks of the pandemic on the streets around Cap One Arena, the only thing for certain is that the Capitals and Wizards still have games to play, which means that fans still have stomachs to fill. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 20 Dec. 2023 The Jumbotron camera somersaults and shakes as the dancers fall to the ground, seemingly knocked unconscious by the aftershock. Abigail Covington, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2023 Advertisement The aftershocks — 6.0, 5.7, 5.5 — made everyone jumpy. Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aftershock.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

after- + shock entry 1

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of aftershock was in 1847

Dictionary Entries Near aftershock

Cite this Entry

“Aftershock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aftershock. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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