Illustration of right whale
right whale
noun
: any of several large baleen whales (family Balaenidae and especially genus Eubalaena) that lack a dorsal fin and have very long baleen plates, an extremely large head with a V-shaped blowhole, a smooth throat, short, broad, rounded flippers, and whitish protuberances of thickened skin about the head
Examples of right whale in a Sentence
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The death of #1950 marked the 40th death in the ongoing Unusual Mortality Event (UME) impacting North Atlantic right whales, according to the NOAA.
—
John Deem, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
In January, a young right whale washed up dead on a Martha's Vineyard beach.
—CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Guests visiting from May to October should look to the coast for the chance to spot a humpback or North Atlantic right whale.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2024
There are fewer than 400 right whales thought to be still living in the North Atlantic, with fewer than 70 reproductively active females.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
With fewer than 360 whales remaining, the North Atlantic right whale is approaching extinction, NOAA says.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Researchers have recorded 123 adult right whales in the bay this season, but no mother-calf duos, until now, officials said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Some lose it after birth, while others – including the humpback and right whales – have short hairs on their face.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024
According to the study, pygmy right whales likely forgo long-distance migrations and instead live in the warm waters around Australia year-round.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024
John Deem, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
In January, a young right whale washed up dead on a Martha's Vineyard beach.
—CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Guests visiting from May to October should look to the coast for the chance to spot a humpback or North Atlantic right whale.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2024
There are fewer than 400 right whales thought to be still living in the North Atlantic, with fewer than 70 reproductively active females.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
With fewer than 360 whales remaining, the North Atlantic right whale is approaching extinction, NOAA says.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Researchers have recorded 123 adult right whales in the bay this season, but no mother-calf duos, until now, officials said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Some lose it after birth, while others – including the humpback and right whales – have short hairs on their face.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024
According to the study, pygmy right whales likely forgo long-distance migrations and instead live in the warm waters around Australia year-round.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'right whale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Right whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/right%20whale. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
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