as in major
having great meaning or lasting effect
a tectonic shift in societal trends occurred in the 1960s
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tectonic
Tsunamis are a series of giant waves caused by undersea earthquakes at tectonic plate boundaries, or volcanic eruptions.
—
George Petras, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
The river’s bends are driven by larger-scale, longer-term phenomena — the shifting of tectonic plates, the erosion of the riverbank by plant roots, the volume of water flowing through the atmosphere and landscape, and more.
—Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
It’s all buoyed by an unparalleled lineup of speakers who are shaping the industry one tectonic shift at a time.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025
This had the makings of a tectonic moment in sports history.
—Contessa Brewer,alex Sherman, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
George Petras, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
The river’s bends are driven by larger-scale, longer-term phenomena — the shifting of tectonic plates, the erosion of the riverbank by plant roots, the volume of water flowing through the atmosphere and landscape, and more.
—Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
It’s all buoyed by an unparalleled lineup of speakers who are shaping the industry one tectonic shift at a time.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025
This had the makings of a tectonic moment in sports history.
—Contessa Brewer,alex Sherman, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tectonic
Adjective
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Some researchers also point to major gaps in accountability.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
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And here, roundabouts make a major difference because drivers don’t turn left in front of oncoming traffic.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Tribal nations report no immediate significant effects on services like healthcare and education.—
Frank Vaisvilas,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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So then the woman tried calling out to other significant names in her life.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Walker-Stone House is a historic structure downtown that houses the Folk School of Fayetteville.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Sep. 2025
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Precise numbers of staffing cuts are hard to pin down, but their historic scale in the first eight months of this administration is unmistakable.—
Chris Sellers,
The Conversation,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Of those who responded to our informal survey, 53% said love is more important.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
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Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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Shares in China’s Zijin Gold International surged more than 60% on its debut in Hong Kong on Tuesday after raising more than $3 billion in one of the world’s biggest initial public offerings this year.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tectonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tectonic. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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