tectonic

adjective

tek-ˈtä-nik How to pronounce tectonic (audio)
Definition of tectonicnext
as in major
having great meaning or lasting effect a tectonic shift in societal trends occurred in the 1960s

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 tectonic The mountains of western North Carolina sit in the middle of the North American tectonic plate, according to the Center for Earthquake Research and Information at the University of Memphis. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2026 Mountains made tall by millions of years of violent, tectonic conflict. — Supriya Lopez Pillai, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026 Iceland has many distinctions as a land of fire and ice spanning the North American and European tectonic plates. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Sep. 2026 Biting into it feels tectonic, cracking and flaking and crumbling, the gravity of umami keeping it all together. — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tectonic
  1. major
  2. significant
  3. historic
  4. important
  5. big
Adjective
  • Despite the hefty reservation payments, the Roadster is unlikely to become a major revenue source for Tesla.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Her Instagram long-form project Excellences & Perfections, from 2014, however, was major cringe.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of major
Adjective
  • Sullivan and Peltola have already faced off this year, but Thursday's debate was widely seen as the most significant for the general electorate.
    — Matthew Choi The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That reality makes the latest Carrera T more significant than its understated badge might suggest.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of significant
Adjective
  • Both those historic actions happened as part of the Biden administration's focus on anti-money laundering and efforts to promote compliance with the then-emerging virtual currency industry.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Yeager's historic flight followed a series of unpowered glide tests, incuding three by Yeager himself in August of 1947, followed by ever faster subsonic powered flights.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of historic
Adjective
  • Understanding the answer is often more important than the opportunity itself.
    — Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Ties between Ukraine and its most important backer the United States have also been strained by the apparent withdrawal of US intelligence sharing, and restrictions to the Starlink satellite internet service.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of important
Adjective
  • At the end of September, leaders of several of the biggest AI companies went to the White House and signed an accord committing to internal risk controls, independent audits and board-level oversight of safety.
    — Giorgos Tsetis, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Go rebound the basketball, go protect the rim, be a big big for us.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of big

Browse Nearby Words

technophobes
tectonic
tedious
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tectonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tectonic. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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