adjective
-
relating to, characterized by, or affected by tides
a tidal estuary
-
dependent on the state of the tide
a tidal ferry
-
(of a glacier) reaching the sea and discharging floes or icebergs
Other Word Forms
- nontidal adjective
- tidally adverb
- untidal adjective
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.
After huge equity issuance in the years preceding, there was a tidal wave of IPO lock-up periods expiring that created a never-ending cascade of selling, Jones recalls.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
St Cwyfan's dates back to the 12th Century, and is on a tidal island named Cribinau, off the western coast of Anglesey.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
And so when that case doesn’t break through, we blame that person for their case not breaking through, as opposed to the larger tidal wave.
From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026
Fleshwater’s crystalline guitar leads and tidal currents of noise hit so much harder for the revving percussion, which moves with the dexterity of metal and hardcore.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
“Climb, Rat! Climb!” shouted Steve, dodging our counselor, who was now pretending to be a giant tidal wave.
From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth
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.
