aftershock

[ af-ter-shok, ahf- ]
See synonyms for aftershock on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a small earthquake or tremor that follows a major earthquake.

  2. the effect, result, or repercussion of an event; aftermath; consequence: The aftershock of the bankruptcy was felt throughout the financial community.

Compare Meanings

Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.

Origin of aftershock

1
First recorded in 1890–95; after + shock1

Words Nearby aftershock

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use aftershock in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for aftershock

aftershock

/ (ˈɑːftəˌʃɒk) /


noun
  1. one of a series of minor tremors occurring after the main shock of an earthquake: Compare foreshock

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for aftershock

aftershock

[ ăftər-shŏk′ ]


  1. A less powerful earthquake that follows a more forceful one. Aftershocks usually originate at or near the focus of the main earthquakes they follow and can continue for days or months. They usually decrease in magnitude and frequency with time.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.