strike-slip fault

American  

[strahyk lip fawlt] / ˈstraɪk ˌlɪp ˌfɔlt /

noun

1. Geology. a vertical fracture in Earth's crust, where the masses of fractured rock slide past one another horizontally, a well-known example of which is the San Andreas Fault.

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strike-slip fault British  

noun

1. a geological fault on which the movement is along the strike of the fault

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strike-slip fault Scientific  

1. A geologic fault in which the blocks of rock on either side of the fault slide horizontally, parallel to the strike of the fault.

2. See Note and illustration at fault

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Example Sentences

This earthquake was triggered by a strike-slip fault, where two large sections of the Earth's crust move horizontally past each other along a vertical fracture.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026

That’s a strike-slip fault, the seismic action you get is when these plates slide past each other.

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2024

The San Andreas Fault in California is perhaps the world's most famous strike-slip fault, with scientists warning that a catastrophic quake is long overdue.

From Reuters • Feb. 7, 2023

Large strike-slip fault zones on land are not common , Dr. Hough said; the San Andreas Fault in California is another example.

From New York Times • Feb. 6, 2023

This is known as a strike-slip fault because the displacement is along the “strike” or the length of the fault.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015