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

When a star ventures too close to a supermassive black hole, the tremendous gravitational influence of that cosmic titan generates tidal forces that squash the star horizontally while stretching it vertically. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 19 Feb. 2025

The reasons for this scarcity are still under investigation, but extreme radiation from stars at this distance and tidal forces probably contribute to this trend. —Dakotah Tyler, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2025

When this is considered for the lowest-lying parts of these areas, local sea levels could rise by more than 17 inches by 2050—more than double the regional estimate of 7.4 inches, which is based only on tidal gauge predictions. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025

Our group focused on a tidal heating event that happened when the Moon was quite distant from the Earth, while research from Steve Desch at Arizona State University points to an event that happened when the Moon was closer. —Francis Nimmo, JSTOR Daily, 9 Jan. 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