adjective
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relating to, characterized by, or affected by tides
a tidal estuary
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dependent on the state of the tide
a tidal ferry
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(of a glacier) reaching the sea and discharging floes or icebergs
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tidal
Explanation
Anything tidal is related to the regular rise and fall of the sea level due to gravitational forces. A marine biologist might study the effects of tidal patterns on local sea life. Tidal conditions are caused by many things, from the rotation of the Earth to the position of the Moon, and tidal effects can be seen not just in the ocean tide itself, but in rivers, lakes, and currents, and even on the Earth's surface. A common name for a tsunami is a "tidal wave," although these earthquake-caused surges of ocean water don't actually have any connection to tides.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Such a star can become increasingly susceptible to the black hole's tidal forces.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
The San Francisco tidal gauge, for instance, is expected to see the high tide at 1.5 feet above normal just after 9 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
A tidal wave of AI debt is threatening to flood the bond markets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
This fear—that sudden exchange-rate swings in Japan would trigger tidal waves across global financial markets—is a primary justification for Treasury to join the interventions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Minutes later, gigantic tidal waves roared across the land.
From "I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919" by Lauren Tarshis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
