fault line

noun

: something resembling a fault : split, rift
… a major conceptual fault line in foreign policy …—Morton Kondracke

Examples of fault line 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.
The death of the NCAA and the creation of a corporate superleague will rattle Cal more than any earthquake hitting a stadium built directly on a fault line. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026 That gap is becoming the new fault line in the next phase of AI. — Neil Dhar, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026 What’s happening today in some way resembles the period before the First World War, with pressure building at the fault lines between the big powers’ spheres of influence. — Literary Hub, 30 July 2026 Five of these have occurred since the year 2000 including the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake in Turkey and Syria where weak buildings sit atop a network of fault lines. — Chloe Demrovsky, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fault line

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fault line was in 1869

Rhymes for fault line

See All Rhymes for fault line

Browse Nearby Words

faultless
fault line
fault-line scarp
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fault line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fault%20line. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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