subduction
noun
sub·duc·tion
(ˌ)səb-ˈdək-shən 
: the action or process in plate tectonics of the edge of one crustal plate descending below the edge of another
Examples of subduction in a Sentence
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Located on the Kuril–Kamchatka subduction zone, Kamchatka is prone to frequent seismic events due to ongoing tectonic activity between the Pacific and Okhotsk plates.
—
Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Scientists have noticed intriguing patterns on underwater subduction zones in recent years before some of the biggest earthquakes, like the 2014 magnitude-8.1 earthquake in Chile and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which touched off the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
And so, with no water left at the surface, major subduction zones would grind to a halt, preventing the entombment of carbon dioxide.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Judith Hubbard, an earthquake scientist and structural geologist, noted the quake occurred about 12 miles deep in a subduction zone, where such depths are typical.
—Doc Louallen, ABC News, 30 July 2025
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Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Scientists have noticed intriguing patterns on underwater subduction zones in recent years before some of the biggest earthquakes, like the 2014 magnitude-8.1 earthquake in Chile and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which touched off the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
And so, with no water left at the surface, major subduction zones would grind to a halt, preventing the entombment of carbon dioxide.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Judith Hubbard, an earthquake scientist and structural geologist, noted the quake occurred about 12 miles deep in a subduction zone, where such depths are typical.
—Doc Louallen, ABC News, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for subduction
Cite this Entry
“Subduction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subduction. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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