Meaning & use
spring tides
Last updated
Meaning
nounpluraltechnical
Tides that are higher and lower than usual, occurring around the time of a new moon or full moon.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun; the singular 'spring tide' refers to one such tide.
Patterns
- spring tides occur
- during spring tides
- the spring tide
Spring tides happen twice a month, when the sun and moon line up.
During spring tides, the water can rise much higher than normal.
Coastal areas often flood during spring tides if there is also a storm.
Word forms
| singular | spring tide |
|---|
Common combinations
- spring tide occurs
- A spring tide occurs when the Earth, sun, and moon are nearly in a straight line.
- during spring tides
- Fishermen are careful during spring tides because the currents are stronger.
- high spring tide
- The high spring tide covered the beach completely.
- spring tide range
- The spring tide range is the difference between high and low water at spring tide.
Synonyms and how they differ
- king tide
- A non-technical term for an especially high spring tide, often used in news about flooding.
Opposites
Word family
- spring tide noun
- The singular form, meaning one such tide.
Commonly confused: spring tides or neap tides?
spring tides vs neap tides
Neap tides are the opposite: lower and less extreme tides that happen when the sun and moon are at right angles.
Practice
When do spring tides happen?
Choose one answer.
Spring tides are linked to the moon's phases, not the season. They occur when the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned, which happens at new moon and full moon.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “spring tides”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.