the Richter scale

noun

technical

: a system of measurement used for showing the strength of an earthquake

The earthquake measured 4.5 on the Richter scale.

Examples of the Richter scale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Just last Friday, Feb. 7, a minor earthquake struck Santa Clara County, Calif., registering a modest 3.3 on the Richter scale. —

Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 10 Feb. 2025 This alarming seismic shift in power from Congress to the White House, the equivalent of an 8.0 on the Richter scale, goes unmentioned. —

Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025 Much like the Richter scale for earthquakes, this classification system is logarithmic, with each step representing a tenfold increase in energy. —

George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024 Swift literally rocked Lisbon, with the star's show in the city registering on the Richter scale. —

Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for the Richter scale

Cite this Entry

Style

“The Richter scale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20Richter%20scale. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

Copy Citation