as in to stab
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
she deftly harpooned a shrimp with her skewer and held it over the fire
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harpoon
Erin Clack, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Reynolds claimed to have met the first mate of a whale ship who battled the great one with a darting harpoon and hundreds of feet of 3/4-inch line flying from the rope tub.
—Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Ali reportedly tried to use a handheld harpoon while trying to access the apartment through the house’s front door before trying to break a window and smash his way inside.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Lovely used two harpoons and cleaned the shark in the water.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harpoon
Noun
The sport involves using a sharp-pointed tool such as a harpoon, spear or gig to impale a fish's body.
—Erin Clack, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Reynolds claimed to have met the first mate of a whale ship who battled the great one with a darting harpoon and hundreds of feet of 3/4-inch line flying from the rope tub.
—Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Ali reportedly tried to use a handheld harpoon while trying to access the apartment through the house’s front door before trying to break a window and smash his way inside.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Lovely used two harpoons and cleaned the shark in the water.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harpoon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harpoon
Verb
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Muhammad later returned to the restaurant with a knife and mask and allegedly stabbed Harris, according to police.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Officers arrived and found the stabbing victim, later identified as Freas.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Grasping hands reach out in despair, deities wield tridents and divine lotus flowers symbolize the 16 levels of Brahma (higher realms).—
Vicky Smith,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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As the fates would have it, Diemer has had a lifelong obsession with Poseidon, as evidenced by his prominent trident necklace, the iconic emblem and weapon of the sea god.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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According to court records, one of the bullets pierced the digital display of the cash register, shattering glass and plastic and causing injuries to the owner’s face, eye, hand and stomach.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
18 Mar. 2026
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Loud Sound Reduction is another nice-to-have perk carried over from the AirPods Pro series, letting the headphones reduce the severity of sirens, construction and other ear-piercing sounds.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Ukraine is the tip of the spear for the democratic embrace of dreams.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
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Most importantly sharpening the tip of the spear — get the offensive line right.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Traditionally, Oscars hosts have been at their best when puncturing the pretensions of the stars in attendance, but for the most part, host Conan O’Brien bought into their sense of their own righteousness.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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Some are demanding change And just like that, the Cesar Chavez myth is punctured.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Those Swiss guards would take that halberd and just take you down.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
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The retainer then struck her down with a halberd, set the mansion ablaze, and committed seppuku.—
Nicholas Liu,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2024
Verb
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In the months since, Adams has continued to jab at his successor in social media posts.—
ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
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The victim tried to flee, but a witness who saw the altercation told police that the suspects made jabbing motions towards the victim’s body.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Their sizes range from 4 inches to 4 feet tall, and their heart- and lance-shaped leaves can be smooth, wavy, or variegated.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
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Warhorses charge, lances down, crashing through the tilts as lances break on shields and men topple from their steeds.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harpoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harpoon. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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