San Andreas Fault
Americannoun
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A major earthquake along this fault has been predicted for many years. Because California is densely populated, such an event might have very serious consequences.
Etymology
Origin of San Andreas Fault
First recorded in 1900–05; named after San Andreas Lake, located in the rift, in San Mateo County
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Southern California, two of the region's most important fault systems are the San Andreas Fault and the San Jacinto Fault.
From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2026
In 1812, a powerful quake — today, estimated at a magnitude of 7.5 and believed to have been caused by the San Andreas Fault — shook Southern California and immediately destroyed seven missions.
From Salon • Jan. 26, 2025
Researchers based their conclusions on multiple core samples taken from a so-called “sag pond” along the San Andreas Fault, in the southeastern corner of San Luis Obispo County.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2024
That’s why seismologists watch closely when swarms happen in this area, since the Salton Sea marks the end of the southern stretch of the San Andreas Fault.
From Seattle Times • May 30, 2023
The most common types of earthquakes are those where two plates meet, as in California along the San Andreas Fault.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.