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.
Because of the racial melting pot and LGBTQIA+ demographics of the league, the WNBA sits directly on this country’s current cultural and political fault lines. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026 Navigating the balance And this is where the issue of extreme wealth is located – sitting precisely on this moral fault line. — Jen Cole Wright, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026 But the fault lines were visible well before Wednesday, multiple former employees tell Forbes. — Richard Nieva, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 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 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 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of balmy

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All