Definition of tribalnext
as in ethnic
of, relating to, or reflecting the traits exhibited by a group of people with a common ancestry and culture a tribal solidarity that transcends all other loyalties or bonds

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tribal Many of the spa’s signature ingredients and rituals are an homage to Mayan traditions, such as the Temazcal steam baths that have been used since the days of tribal Mexico to detox the body. Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026 But federal officials have now taken issue with those seemingly innocuous sentences, according to Mandi Campbell, tribal historic preservation officer for the Timbisha Shoshone and a resident of the village. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026 Since then, the state has authorized Native American casinos and non-tribal casinos. CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026 To date, the CFTC has stayed on the sidelines as states, including Nevada, New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts, and tribal groups take prediction market companies to court. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tribal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tribal
Adjective
  • And some Boricuas anticipate that people from different ethnic and racial backgrounds won’t feel excluded.
    Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
  • My ethnic group has suffered lynchings, legal segregation and stereotypes that continue to the present day.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • About 6 in 10 district residents are white, and 15% identify as Asian, the largest racial minority in the area.
    Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
  • The posts accused the teen and three of his football teammates of calling Smith’s son, who is Black, racial slurs, shooting him with BB guns and forcing him to drink their urine during a sleepover at Vann’s house.
    Jane Harper, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Genocide is defined as attempting to partly or wholly destroy a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.
    Ellie Cook Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The United Nations broadly defines genocide as seriously harming or killing members of a group with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.
    Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2022

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Cite this Entry

“Tribal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tribal. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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