as in major
having great meaning or lasting effect
a tectonic shift in societal trends occurred in the 1960s
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Recent Examples of tectonic
This past weekend marked a tectonic shift in Hollywood that’s sent shock waves across the industry.
—
Marlow Stern, Variety, 2 June 2026
The reason my class was here was that the park also sits near where the North American and Pacific tectonic plates meet.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026
Over two minutes, a spectrum of Black improvisational styles battle on what feels like a Red Planet, interspersed with video game chirps and tectonic-shifting airblasts that cool the magma cooked up during combat, each one building off the other’s energy.
—Tatiana Lee Rodriguez, Pitchfork, 1 June 2026
Alongside the tectonic activity, Obiero says changing weather patterns in southwestern Ethiopia are likely a significant factor, increasing inflow into the lake through the Omo river, its major tributary.
—Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Marlow Stern, Variety, 2 June 2026
The reason my class was here was that the park also sits near where the North American and Pacific tectonic plates meet.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026
Over two minutes, a spectrum of Black improvisational styles battle on what feels like a Red Planet, interspersed with video game chirps and tectonic-shifting airblasts that cool the magma cooked up during combat, each one building off the other’s energy.
—Tatiana Lee Rodriguez, Pitchfork, 1 June 2026
Alongside the tectonic activity, Obiero says changing weather patterns in southwestern Ethiopia are likely a significant factor, increasing inflow into the lake through the Omo river, its major tributary.
—Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tectonic
Adjective
-
The Sacramento Bee covered a wide range of news on June 11, from a critical city audit to a major land return for a Northern California tribe.—
Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
-
Tribeca was launched in an effort to help revitalize Lower Manhattan, but has since grown into a major celebration of the arts and media.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The system has a 60 percent chance of becoming a tropical storm, with significant impacts possible across the Deep South.—
Ben Noll,
Washington Post,
16 June 2026
-
Policies of the current federal administration and in certain states have imperiled our global leadership and prospects for the next generations of aspiring scholars of science with the potential for significant damage to our nation’s public health and biomedical and industrial leadership.—
Tara Haelle,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
The decision came after Tim Askin, a city historic preservation planner, told the commission the plans didn't meet its historic restoration standards.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
8 Dec. 2025
-
For Indonesian conservationists, Rio’s arrival represents a historic achievement.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
8 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
-
However, there are important exceptions that married couples should understand.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Kyle wanting to party for the New York marathon (not an excuse to party, but whatevs) and Amanda wants to snuggle on the couch, getting stoned and watching Interior Motives clips on the big TV.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
-
The teenager is a team assistant and volunteer with big dreams of one day becoming a soccer star.—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tectonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tectonic. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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