foreshock
noun
fore·shock
ˈfȯr-ˌshäk 
: any of the usually minor tremors commonly preceding the principal shock of an earthquake
Examples of foreshock in a Sentence
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Have large foreshocks happened in California before? About half of California's biggest earthquakes in history have been preceded by foreshocks.
—
Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2024
As always, there’s a 5% chance of today’s quake being a foreshock to a bigger one.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2024
San Francisco's catastrophic 1906 earthquake came roughly 20-25 seconds after a foreshock was felt throughout the city.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2024
But when an earthquake is followed by a larger one, the first quake becomes known as a foreshock.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for foreshock 
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Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2024
As always, there’s a 5% chance of today’s quake being a foreshock to a bigger one.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2024
San Francisco's catastrophic 1906 earthquake came roughly 20-25 seconds after a foreshock was felt throughout the city.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2024
But when an earthquake is followed by a larger one, the first quake becomes known as a foreshock.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for foreshock
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Cite this Entry
“Foreshock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreshock. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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foreshock
noun
fore·shock
ˈfō(ə)r-ˌshäk
ˈfȯ(ə)r-
: a minor tremor prior to an earthquake
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