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 plant sits near more than a dozen earthquake fault lines. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026 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 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 20 Aug. 2026.

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