as in major
having great meaning or lasting effect
a tectonic shift in societal trends occurred in the 1960s
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Recent Examples of tectonic
This past weekend marked a tectonic shift in Hollywood that’s sent shock waves across the industry.
—
Marlow Stern, Variety, 2 June 2026
The reason my class was here was that the park also sits near where the North American and Pacific tectonic plates meet.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026
Over two minutes, a spectrum of Black improvisational styles battle on what feels like a Red Planet, interspersed with video game chirps and tectonic-shifting airblasts that cool the magma cooked up during combat, each one building off the other’s energy.
—Tatiana Lee Rodriguez, Pitchfork, 1 June 2026
Alongside the tectonic activity, Obiero says changing weather patterns in southwestern Ethiopia are likely a significant factor, increasing inflow into the lake through the Omo river, its major tributary.
—Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Marlow Stern, Variety, 2 June 2026
The reason my class was here was that the park also sits near where the North American and Pacific tectonic plates meet.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026
Over two minutes, a spectrum of Black improvisational styles battle on what feels like a Red Planet, interspersed with video game chirps and tectonic-shifting airblasts that cool the magma cooked up during combat, each one building off the other’s energy.
—Tatiana Lee Rodriguez, Pitchfork, 1 June 2026
Alongside the tectonic activity, Obiero says changing weather patterns in southwestern Ethiopia are likely a significant factor, increasing inflow into the lake through the Omo river, its major tributary.
—Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tectonic
Adjective
-
The Sacramento Bee covered a wide range of news on June 11, from a critical city audit to a major land return for a Northern California tribe.—
Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
-
Tribeca was launched in an effort to help revitalize Lower Manhattan, but has since grown into a major celebration of the arts and media.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Xi’s reference to strengthening military exchanges with North Korea may signal a significant shift from its previous support of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, according to Lim.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Since 2022, the company has delivered more than $5bn in structural cost reductions while maintaining a strong balance sheet and generating significant cash flow.—
Sam Birchall,
Fortune,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Metal barricades surrounded Madison Square Garden and police checkpoints were up around Penn Station as city officials scrambled to prevent a repeat of Wednesday night’s chaos, when dozens of fans were taken into custody after the Knicks’ historic comeback.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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Smith helped catalyze the 49ers’ historic turnaround during his rookie season in 2011 thanks to his ability to disrupt quarterbacks.—
Michael McGough,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
-
An early, nonpublic version of Mythos spooked policymakers and corporate executives in April for its ability to find more than 10,000 severe bugs and vulnerabilities in important software systems.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Acquired as part of the 2024 deal that sent left-hander Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox, Montgomery is the final prospect of Chicago’s return to make his big-league debut.—
Johnny Flores Jr,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
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Nearby Ocean City has the Boardwalk and great restaurants, but Assateague is a big attraction for nature lovers, offering the chance to camp, swim and explore nature all in one place.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tectonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tectonic. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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