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
That’s partly because the country sits atop the boundary of two diverging tectonic plates; it’s constantly being pulled in two.
—
Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
His ideas precipitated a tectonic crisis of political legitimacy and unleashed a series of continent-wide wars, sometimes featuring millenarian protocommunist sects like the Anabaptists, who sought to overthrow the social order.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
The fault is part of the Great Valley fault system, a tectonic boundary separating the Coast Ranges and the Central Valley.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
The carbon released by tectonic rifts may have had a larger role in driving major climate transitions than that released by tectonic convergences.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
His ideas precipitated a tectonic crisis of political legitimacy and unleashed a series of continent-wide wars, sometimes featuring millenarian protocommunist sects like the Anabaptists, who sought to overthrow the social order.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
The fault is part of the Great Valley fault system, a tectonic boundary separating the Coast Ranges and the Central Valley.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
The carbon released by tectonic rifts may have had a larger role in driving major climate transitions than that released by tectonic convergences.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tectonic
Adjective
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Neon Carnival Neon Carnival hits a major milestone this year, celebrating 15 years as one of the festival weekend's most exclusive, invite-only parties known for attracting A-list stars (hey Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce!—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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Oligarchs scooped up major publications and donated them to a consolidated media foundation, co-opting the free press and turning it into the Prime Minister’s bullhorn.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Charlotte home prices rose slightly in February compared to the same time last year, although certain neighborhoods had significant swings up or down, according to the latest data from the real estate site Redfin.—
Chase Jordan
April 7,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2026
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The Bengals can get by from this point forward without checking these boxes, but the fallout wouldn’t be as significant as missing on the top four.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called on Iran and the United States to keep their commitment to maintain a ceasefire, after both countries ended historic face-to-face talks without an agreement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
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The astronauts snapped thousands of photos during their historic pass around the moon, shot video and recorded their personal observations to give researchers insights based on the color sensitivity of the human eye.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But the most important sighting of the mythical Stravinskian fowl might be the revival of Dance Theatre of Harlem’s 1982 version, migrating back to New York for the first time in more than twenty years.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
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The stat line was never going to be the most important part of Jayson Tatum’s return to Madison Square Garden.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The National Park Service long believed the 2,990-acre island was big enough to support 130 horses, but that has changed.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
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What is expected to be the biggest gathering of possible Democratic 2028 presidential hopefuls is set to happen at the convention for the National Action Network, an organization dedicated to fighting for civil rights and equality.—
Hannah Demissie,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tectonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tectonic. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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