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
The Middle East that Trump will inherit from the Biden administration has undergone tectonic shifts.
—
Raja Khalidi, Foreign Affairs, 20 Jan. 2025
Three massive, concurrent tectonic shifts are reordering in dramatic ways how America and the world will get, and consume, information in the years ahead:
Trust in traditional media is vanishing.
—Axios, 8 Jan. 2025
Southwestern parts of China, Nepal and northern India are often hit by earthquakes caused by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
—Joe Cash and Gopal Sharma, USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025
Like a tectonic plate of unspoken emergency etiquette, there is a quiet divide emerging between the parts of the city that are still in active crisis and the parts that are attempting to go about business as usual.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tectonic 
Raja Khalidi, Foreign Affairs, 20 Jan. 2025
Three massive, concurrent tectonic shifts are reordering in dramatic ways how America and the world will get, and consume, information in the years ahead:
Trust in traditional media is vanishing.
—Axios, 8 Jan. 2025
Southwestern parts of China, Nepal and northern India are often hit by earthquakes caused by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
—Joe Cash and Gopal Sharma, USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025
Like a tectonic plate of unspoken emergency etiquette, there is a quiet divide emerging between the parts of the city that are still in active crisis and the parts that are attempting to go about business as usual.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tectonic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tectonic
Adjective
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In places like Freiburg, where a group of predominantly Syrian immigrants participated in a gang rape that became a major news story, the influx fuelled security fears and anti-immigrant sentiment.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
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In 2016, Target stated that trans employees and customers could use bathrooms that aligned with their gender identity, becoming one of the first major retailers to speak out amid national debates over trans bathroom accessibility.—
Abby Monteil,
Them,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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America’s Got Talent will make a significant change to its judges’ lineup for its forthcoming 20th season.—
Rick Porter,
The Hollywood Reporter,
3 Feb. 2025
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Still, the issue gets addressed upfront, as Severo justifies her show by discussing her own life and physical challenges and, basically, her search for the essence of Kahlo, a woman who also lived through significant physical and psychological challenges.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The snowstorm that hit New Orleans on Tuesday was historic, dumping 10 inches of snow, the most since 1895, and shutting down the city.—
Eric Nehm,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
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Net income for the year reached a historic high of $10.1 billion, with earnings per share climbing 25% from the previous year to $14.01.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In Florida, coverage for pools, spas and sprinklers (even as add-ons) is going to be more important than in other states.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
31 Jan. 2025
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In the more immediate future, there are also other important concerns that need to be addressed.—
Chris Boudreau,
Rolling Stone,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But the blanket Trump pay-to-quit offer–reportedly driven by Elon Musk–ignores a big risk: That the top performers, with the most marketable skills, will take the money and run.—
Maria Gracia Santillana Linares,
Forbes,
30 Jan. 2025
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Former Doctor Who lead Whittaker can next be seen in Netflix’s Toxic Town, Jack Thorne’s series about one of the UK’s biggest environmental scandals.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
30 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near tectonic
Cite this Entry
“Tectonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tectonic. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
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