as in ethnic
of, relating to, or reflecting the traits exhibited by a group of people with a common ancestry and culture
a tribal solidarity that transcends all other loyalties or bonds
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tribal
Discoveries like this one can help illuminate how objects and ideas spread across tribal boundaries long before the Romans ruled the island.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Jan. 2026
Kyl leveraged his expertise on water policy in Congress to gain approval of tribal water rights settlements, said Sarah Porter of Arizona State University.
—CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025
But there were a few Oneida families who strongly believed in reviving tribal traditions in the 1970s and ‘80s, and Hoyan eventually caught on.
—Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 30 Dec. 2025
The federal government announced more than $900 million in funding was awarded to local governments and tribal agencies as part of a road-safety improvement measure.
—USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tribal
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Jan. 2026
Kyl leveraged his expertise on water policy in Congress to gain approval of tribal water rights settlements, said Sarah Porter of Arizona State University.
—CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025
But there were a few Oneida families who strongly believed in reviving tribal traditions in the 1970s and ‘80s, and Hoyan eventually caught on.
—Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 30 Dec. 2025
The federal government announced more than $900 million in funding was awarded to local governments and tribal agencies as part of a road-safety improvement measure.
—USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tribal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tribal
Adjective
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Reports of mass murder and ethnic violence from Darfur.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Nov. 2025
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Much of this strife, including throughout the 1967-1970 civil war and subsequent clashes over the decades, has also been closely tied to feuds across ethnic and territorial lines.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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According to the police report, officers witnessed the spitting on video, but not the use of racial slurs.—
Marissa Armas,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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For decades, the Jacksons have presented themselves as civil rights leaders and advocates for racial equity and justice.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Genocide is defined as attempting to partly or wholly destroy a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.—
Ellie Cook
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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The United Nations broadly defines genocide as seriously harming or killing members of a group with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Tribal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tribal. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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