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
These pulses, the team says, are closely tied to overlying tectonic plates and play a key role in the slow rifting of the African continent.
—
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 2 July 2025
Many rock formations there represent a time before the Earth was formed by tectonic plate shifts.
—Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 27 June 2025
Like an earthquake, the tectonic plates connecting the culture and the industry have shifted — and hip-hop may never be the same.
—Touré, HollywoodReporter, 19 June 2025
About 80 million years ago, when the sea had long since dried up, a tectonic event brought part of the reef up out of the ground, forming the Guadalupe Mountains.
—Eva Frederick, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 2 July 2025
Many rock formations there represent a time before the Earth was formed by tectonic plate shifts.
—Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 27 June 2025
Like an earthquake, the tectonic plates connecting the culture and the industry have shifted — and hip-hop may never be the same.
—Touré, HollywoodReporter, 19 June 2025
About 80 million years ago, when the sea had long since dried up, a tectonic event brought part of the reef up out of the ground, forming the Guadalupe Mountains.
—Eva Frederick, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tectonic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tectonic
Adjective
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With The Hartford being one of Main Street America’s major sponsors, the local organization could eligible for additional funding in the future, Fukala said.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
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Why Verification Matters Imagine an AI agent tasked with reconciling expenses for a major corporation.—
Calum Chace,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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While some savings are available to those without a Prime account, the best of these great deals and most significant discounts (as well as the fastest shipping times) are usually reserved for Prime members.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
9 July 2025
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The league is experiencing a significant period of growth across a number of key metrics (TV viewership, merchandise sales, attendance, corporate partnerships).—
Ben Pickman,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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The long stretch of beach, starting with South Pointe Park and its 450-foot pier at the top of historic Washington Avenue, is a fine place to take in the postcard-ready image of Miami and enjoy the sunset over the cityscape.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 July 2025
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And a historic aristocratic club turned chic boutique hotel is the place to stay.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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Another important preventative measure athletes can take is preparing for life after sport.—
Brook Choulet,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Other regional universities — Illinois (UIUC), Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State and Purdue — also do important fusion research.—
Kathleen Gallagher,
jsonline.com,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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For their spring 2025 collections, high-end houses (like Chloé and Tory Burch) and high-street brands (like Sam Edelman and Steve Madden) got in on the fun, too, cementing PVC as one of summer’s biggest sandal trends.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
15 July 2025
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Beyond that is the main event: the big blue sea, which is making great crunching sounds as the waves stretch and yawn.—
Daisy Jones,
Vogue,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tectonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tectonic. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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