1. A geological fault or displacement in which one side of a rock formation is displaced downward relative to the other side.
Usage: geology; plural form

1. Third-person singular present tense of 'downthrow'; to throw downward or to displace downward (as in geology).
Usage: rare; technical

Examples

• The downthrows visible in the rock strata indicate significant tectonic activity in this region.
• Geologists identified multiple downthrows along the fault line.
• The earthquake created several downthrows that altered the landscape.
• These downthrows are characteristic of normal faults in extensional zones.
• The study examined how downthrows affect groundwater flow in the area.