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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.


strike-slip fault British  

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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


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.

The earthquake occurred along the Sagaing Fault, which is a strike-slip fault.

From Science Daily • Dec. 16, 2025

The East Anatolian, like the San Andreas, is a strike-slip fault — one that runs vertically, and the ground moves sideways during the rupture.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2023

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

An example of a dextral, right-lateral strike-slip fault is the San Andreas Fault, which denotes a transform boundary between the North American and Pacific plates.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017