tidal

adjective

tid·​al ˈtī-dᵊl How to pronounce tidal (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, caused by, or having tides
tidal cycles
tidal erosion
b
: periodically rising and falling or flowing and ebbing
tidal waters
2
: dependent (as to the time of arrival or departure) upon the state of the tide
a tidal steamer
tidally adverb

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Those with seawalls so low that tidal flooding breaches the seawall and sends water into neighboring yards and nearby roadways. Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2023 Some also makes it to the coast and enters the tidal marshes, estuaries, bays and oceans. cleveland, 30 Jan. 2023 This process is formally called a tidal disruption event. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 22 Dec. 2022 Lucchini added that researchers expect to see more such tidal disruption events, or TDEs, in the future. Travis Andersen, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Nov. 2022 Only about 1% of tidal disruption events result in relativistic jets (or beams moving at close to the speed of light) that launch plasma and radiation from the poles of a rotating black hole. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 30 Nov. 2022 Enlarge / Illustration of a star being spaghettified as it’s sucked in by a supermassive black hole during a tidal disruption event (TDE). Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 30 Nov. 2022 To pinpoint where these microscopic indicators once existed, the NJDEP deployed a team of researchers into several marshes along the coastline, ranging from heavily polluted wetlands in the north to near-pristine tidal marshes in the south. Jack Tamisiea, WIRED, 24 Sep. 2022 In Kearny, the railway crosses two bridges — both in need of significant repairs — and runs through a tidal marsh along a narrow berm, which Mr. Santos said ambulances and police cars cannot easily traverse. Tracey Tully, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tidal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tidal was in 1807

Dictionary Entries Near tidal

Cite this Entry

“Tidal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tidal. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

tidal

adjective
tid·​al ˈtīd-ᵊl How to pronounce tidal (audio)
: of or relating to tides : rising and falling or flowing and ebbing at regular times

Medical Definition

tidal

adjective
tid·​al ˈtīd-ᵊl How to pronounce tidal (audio)
: of, relating to, or constituting tidal air
interference with the normal tidal exchange of the lungsF. R. Mautz & R. M. Hosler

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