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

Examples of tidal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Federal data from the nearby tidal gauge in Sewells Point, Virginia, dates back to the 1920s and shows sea level has risen six inches at that spot since 1990. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025 The team also speculates that a phenomenon called tidal migration might be playing a role in shaping the occurrence rate of short-period planets. Victoria Corless, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2025 Nearby, explore Anastasia State Park, a 1600-acre property brimming with wildlife, stunning beaches, maritime hammocks, and tidal marshes. Lisa A. Beach, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2025 In recent years, research has focused on other possible and often exotic factors, like tidal forces, lunar phases, solar eclipses, solar eruptions, retreating glaciers and weather patterns interacting with the planet’s crust, core and mantle. David Bressan, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tidal

Word History

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tidal was in 1807

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Cite this Entry

“Tidal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tidal. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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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