oceanic

adjective

ˌō-shē-ˈa-nik How to pronounce oceanic (audio)
Definition of oceanicnext
1
as in marine
of or relating to the sea the theory that ancient mariners took advantage of oceanic currents to roam the seas on primitive rafts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in deep-sea
of, relating to, or occurring in the open sea during his solo crossing of the Atlantic he managed to avoid the fierce oceanic storms that rage in those tropical latitudes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vast
unusually large an oceanic field of wheat that stretched as far as the eye could see

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of oceanic His oceanic roots and regal presence reflect the franchise's enduring legacy. — Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 24 Aug. 2026 The best accessories to oyster eating are those that amplify the bivalve’s puckery, oceanic qualities rather than counterbalancing them. — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026 Highlights include astonishing wildlife moments like orcas carrying a humpback whale calf together after separating it from its mother and the unexpected encounter between a freediver and a giant oceanic sunfish. — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 El Niño and La Niña are different phases of the same system—the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a large-scale climate pattern whose oceanic and atmospheric characteristics occur in and above the east-central Pacific Ocean. — John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for oceanic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oceanic
  1. marine
  2. deep-sea
  3. vast
  4. maritime
  5. pelagic
  6. giant
  7. blue-water
  8. gigantic
Adjective
  • Until now, scientists could measure the total phosphorus preserved in ancient rocks, but determining the share that was actually available to marine life remained challenging.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The waves also increase ocean temperatures and push cold, nutrient-rich waters deeper below the surface, which has an impact on marine life.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of marine
Adjective
  • The development marked the first ship-to-ship commercial ethanol bunkering of a deep-sea container vessel in the United States.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The refinery was initially planned to be built in Tanzania’s coastal town of Tanga, but Dangote said it was later determined that Lamu had deeper waters, solid ground capable of supporting the heavy equipment, and deep-sea access.
    — Evelyne Musambi, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of deep-sea
Adjective
  • For some of the wealthiest families in the United States, their vast fortunes have been cultivated over decades as their businesses are passed from one generation to the next.
    — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2026
  • While JPMorgan faces a vast and onerous regulatory burden—a legacy of all the financial crises caused by bank failures—BlackRock is still relatively lightly regulated.
    — Robin Wigglesworth, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of vast
Adjective
  • The village's pedestrian-only strip weaves through small shops, restaurants, and boutiques, and there's a Naval Museum housed in a 19th-century captain’s mansion that highlights the island’s maritime history—and is worth a visit.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Ground systems get upgrades The P-8A is best known as a maritime patrol aircraft, but its missions extend well beyond the airframe.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of maritime
Adjective
  • His winning series was captured in the waters of Anilao, Philippines, where pelagic and larval marine life migrate from the depths each night to feed under the cover of darkness.
    — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Researchers also encountered glass squid and spotted a pelagic octopus feeding on a bright red jellyfish.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
Definition of pelagic
Adjective
  • Take the account of a giant, gentle whale shark gliding through the blue waters off the Southern California coast.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Capital financial services giant project includes a $60 million investment by 2031, and pledges to hire hundreds of workers with minimum average pay of $194,000.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of giant
Adjective
  • Cuba no longer maintains a meaningful blue-water navy, modern frigates or an operational submarine fleet comparable to Cold War levels.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
  • For now, the Type 004 is a clear sign of China’s push to become a real blue-water naval power.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 26 May 2026
Definition of blue-water
Adjective
  • Think again of a gigantic system of pipes, each of which is open or closed with a certain probability.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Find an old Porsche, Jaguar or Mini, rip everything out, throw in a gigantic modern engine, carbon-fiber bodywork and enough computing power to launch a satellite, then ask half a million dollars for it.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of gigantic

Browse Nearby Words

oceangoing
oceanic
Oceanid
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oceanic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oceanic. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of discreet

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All