The Telegdi Roth Fault, a major WNW–ESE fault in the Transdanubian Range, western Hungary is analysed. Fault striation data suggest that the fault and its neighbourhood experienced polyphase brittle deformation from the Senonian, mainly during the Tertiary. The first phase is an Albian–Cenomanian NW–SE thrusting, generating conjugate thrust faults. Then a major sinistral shear due to E–W maximum horizontal stress direction occurred. This main sinistral shear along the Telegdi Roth Fault appears to have occurred between the Senonian and the Early Eocene. This second tectonic event was followed by a dextral strike-slip movement along the fault, due to WNW–ESE maximum horizontal stress. This third movement probably took place from the Middle Eocene to Early Miocene (Eggenburian). Later (after a possible counterclockwise rotation of the Alcapa Unit in the Ottnangian) the deformation detected in the vicinity of the Telegdi Roth Fault was connected to a tensional phase which is characterized by a WSW–ENE minimal stress axis. This movement took place probably in the late Early and early Middle Miocene (Ottnangian to middle Badenian). Related structures are normal and sinistral faults which cut across the Telegdi Roth Fault. The last, fifth identified phase is marked by WNW–ESE minimal horizontal and NNE–SSW maximum horizontal stress directions. The suggested age interval for these deformations is late Middle and Late Miocene (late Badenian to Pannonian). The topographical expression of the main fault and neotectonic observations suggest a probable Quaternary reactivation as well.