aftershock

American  

[af-ter-shok, ahf-] / ˈæf tərˌʃɒk, ˈɑf- /

noun

aftershocks plural

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.

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aftershock British  

/ ˈɑːftəˌʃɒk /

noun

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

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aftershock Scientific  

/ ăf′tər-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.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• aftershocks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of aftershock

First recorded in 1890–95; after + shock ¹

Compare meaning

How does aftershock compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• earthquake vs. aftershock

Explanation

An aftershock is a small earthquake that echoes or follows a larger one. After an earthquake, people often wait nervously to see if there will be an aftershock. After the relief of surviving an earthquake, the tremors and shaking of aftershocks can be surprising and often dangerous. Sometimes houses and buildings that were damaged during the main earthquake can collapse during the aftershock that follows. Aftershocks are caused by the ground settling and adjusting to the changes in the faults that may have resulted from the original quake.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

aftershock aftershocks

The state issued a strong warning urging residents to prepare for a large aftershock, and urged residents to stay off the freeways if possible.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

Jose Mago, a 35-year-old lawyer, said a powerful aftershock Thursday sent him and his family into the street—they had slept on the sidewalk the night before.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

"Others tried to get their cars out of the building basements, fearing an aftershock might make things worse."

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

It is not a mere aftershock from Callais, but a separate earthquake of the same or perhaps even greater magnitude.

From Slate ● Jun. 3, 2026

It feels like two comets have just collided headfirst into each other, and the aftershock of two hundred earthquakes rolls through my chest.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

There has been 214 aftershocks since the initial quakes, she added.

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

By that point, she said, there had already been 30 aftershocks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Scientists believe that the magnitude 6.1 Joshua Tree temblor of April 22, 1992, resulted in aftershocks that kept migrating north.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

On Friday, Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said there had been 215 aftershocks recorded since the earthquakes.

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

I ripped into an alley down the block to reconstruct myself and to shake off the aftershocks of Hank.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx