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sea lion
noun
: any of several Pacific eared seals (such as genera Eumetopias and Zalophus) that are usually larger than the related fur seals and lack a thick underfur
Examples of sea lion in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As of early 2023, the Navy still trained a reported 77 dolphins and 47 sea lions.
—Andrew Van Dam, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
Between the county and the USDA, MS Leisure Company received notices that several areas in the park were unsafe and not structurally sound, including enclosures for the whales, penguins, parrots, dolphins and sea lions.
—Ayana Archie, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024
Also offered are various animal encounters, like swimming with dolphins, feeding an endangered sea turtle, or painting with sea lions that youngsters are sure to love.
—Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Harassing or feeding sea lions can also interrupt their natural behaviors, according to NOAA.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024
Throughout each itinerary will be ample opportunities for snorkeling, kayaking, and hiking with expert guides, not to mention wildlife viewing of some of the islands' most famous inhabitants, including blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas, and sea lions.
—Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 14 Feb. 2024
The 2-hour journey includes opportunities to see sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and an array of migratory birds, along with the Candelabra of the Andes, a mysterious geoglyph that stands watch over the Ica coastline.
—The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 7 Feb. 2024
The whales typically hunt in packs and ambush larger prey like seals, other whales, and sea lions.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
Populations of California’s other pinniped species, such as harbor seals and sea lions, also have rebounded to healthy levels since passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, said Allen.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sea lion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1697, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near sea lion
Cite this Entry
“Sea lion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sea%20lion. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.
Kids Definition
sea lion
noun
: any of several large Pacific seals that have small ears on the outside of the body
More from Merriam-Webster on sea lion
Nglish: Translation of sea lion for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sea lion
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