Illustration of humpback whale
humpback whale
noun
: a large baleen whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) that is black above and white below and has very long flippers and fleshy tubercles along the snout
Examples of humpback whale in a Sentence
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Whale likely struck by a ship The MERR Institute said the humpback whale was in the surf zone throughout Thursday night before heavy equipment moved it to the shore the next day.
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Adam Thompson, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
Cruise highlights include scenic sailing through the Endicott Arm and around the Dawes Glacier, shopping for Indigenous handicrafts in Icy Strait Point, and chances to spot wildlife like humpback whales and bears.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Conservation using drones The researchers also identified herpesviruses present in humpback whale populations across Norway, Iceland, and Cape Verde.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
The artwork on the catamaran’s hull depicts a pod of humpback whales swimming alongside bottlenose dolphins, marine mammals regularly seen off Orange County’s coast.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
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Adam Thompson, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
Cruise highlights include scenic sailing through the Endicott Arm and around the Dawes Glacier, shopping for Indigenous handicrafts in Icy Strait Point, and chances to spot wildlife like humpback whales and bears.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Conservation using drones The researchers also identified herpesviruses present in humpback whale populations across Norway, Iceland, and Cape Verde.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
The artwork on the catamaran’s hull depicts a pod of humpback whales swimming alongside bottlenose dolphins, marine mammals regularly seen off Orange County’s coast.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for humpback whale
Cite this Entry
“Humpback whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humpback%20whale. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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