as in major
having great meaning or lasting effect
a tectonic shift in societal trends occurred in the 1960s
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 country lies within the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide.
—
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2025
Afghanistan is especially vulnerable to earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush Mountain range where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
—Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The aftershocks highlighted the vulnerability of global coastlines in the Pacific Ring of Fire which is marked by intense tectonic activity.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Martin sees the changes post-Katrina and post-COVID as two tectonic shifts in the industry, making room for different flavors and folks at the table.
—Beth D'addono, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2025
Afghanistan is especially vulnerable to earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush Mountain range where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
—Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The aftershocks highlighted the vulnerability of global coastlines in the Pacific Ring of Fire which is marked by intense tectonic activity.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Martin sees the changes post-Katrina and post-COVID as two tectonic shifts in the industry, making room for different flavors and folks at the table.
—Beth D'addono, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tectonic
Adjective
-
Here's your daily look at traffic on major highways in the Kansas City area.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The closest major airport is Toronto Pearson International, with direct flights from New York, Chicago, Boston, and beyond.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The aircraft represents a significant investment of about $200 million for a single plane.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Sep. 2025
-
However, there's a significant difference between containing and controlling a wildfire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Ricky Martin to receive inaugural Latin Icon Award Martin, who made his VMAs debut in 1999, will receive the first-ever Latin Icon Award during the ceremony, in celebration of the singer's historic contributions to the genre.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Wood attended Monday’s hearing at the Auburn historic courthouse.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
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,
7 Sep. 2025
-
And that became a very important part of the character.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Astronomers have discovered a brand-new type of planet outside our solar system that, even in its infancy, is already bigger than Jupiter.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Other big stories ➤ The economy is slowing, and Arizona no longer ranks among the states creating the most jobs.—
Powered By,
AZCentral.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tectonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tectonic. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share