tidal

adjective

tid·​al ˈtī-dᵊl 

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

ˈtī-dᵊl-ē 

adverb

Examples of tidal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And, scientists now wonder, how does tidal heating even work? —Robin Andrews, Wired News, 15 June 2025

Visitors can see the aquatic dredge as 70,000 cubic yards of sand are removed from the lagoon, restoring the tidal exchange in this wetland. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025

At the opposite end of Luzon from the Reyes family, the village of Sula, Vinzons, in the Bicol region sits nestled on a sandbank barely 400 ft. wide separating the Pacific Ocean from tidal mangroves. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 5 June 2025

This results in the immense gravitational influence of the black hole generating immense tidal forces within the star. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing tidal

• tidal wave

Rhymes for tidal

• bridal
• bridle
• idle
• idol
• idyll
• seidel
• sidle
• widal
• apsidal
• subtidal
• fratricidal
• fungicidal

Kids Definition

tidal

adjective

tid·​al ˈtīd-ᵊl 

: of or relating to tides : rising and falling or flowing and ebbing at regular times

Medical Definition

tidal

adjective

tid·​al ˈtīd-ᵊl 

: of, relating to, or constituting tidal air

interference with the normal tidal exchange of the lungs

—F. R. Mautz & R. M. Hosler