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seismic waves

Cultural  
  1. In geology, shock waves in solid rock generated by earthquakes or underground explosions. (See seismology.)


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Seismic waves travel through the Earth and can be detected far from their source.

Most of our knowledge of the Earth's interior comes from studying seismic waves.

The measurement of seismic waves is also important in detecting underground nuclear tests.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Both strongly slow seismic waves, suggesting they contain materials or conditions unlike the surrounding mantle.

From Science Daily • Nov. 20, 2025

Andrew’s humiliation makes it clear that, six years after Epstein’s death, the scandal continues to create seismic waves of social and political destruction.

From Salon • Oct. 31, 2025

Shallow earthquakes are common in the country and are more destructive, as seismic waves have less of a distance to travel to the Earth's surface and therefore retain much of their power.

From BBC • Sep. 1, 2025

Vidale said he was busy studying graphs that record ground vibrations caused by seismic waves when one data set “curiously stood out from the rest.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2025

The movement produces what is known as seismic waves.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland