1
as in marine
of or relating to the sea
among pelagic animals the undisputed king is the blue whale, the largest creature currently roaming the face of the earth
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Recent Examples of pelagic
Shallow slip The researchers found that, in the case of Tōhoku, the normal layer of firm rock that usually sits between the plates actually consisted of a 30-meter-thick layer of pelagic clay, a soft, slippery substance that accumulated there over millions of years as microscopic particles settled.
—
New Atlas, 23 Dec. 2025
For the advanced, channels around the islands work like pelagic highways, attracting more than 3,000 different marine species.
—Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
But since these pelagic fish spend most of their time at depths of 1,000 feet or more, and are typically only caught by ocean longliners, scientists are still trying to understand their biology and life histories.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2025
The scientists noticed a drop in their prey, such as small pelagic fishes in the case of seals and smaller benthic sharks in the case of sevengill sharks.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pelagic
New Atlas, 23 Dec. 2025
For the advanced, channels around the islands work like pelagic highways, attracting more than 3,000 different marine species.
—Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
But since these pelagic fish spend most of their time at depths of 1,000 feet or more, and are typically only caught by ocean longliners, scientists are still trying to understand their biology and life histories.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2025
The scientists noticed a drop in their prey, such as small pelagic fishes in the case of seals and smaller benthic sharks in the case of sevengill sharks.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pelagic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pelagic
Adjective
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Specifically, on average, silky sharks spent only about 47 percent of their time inside the Galápagos Marine Reserve, an area often held up as a global gold standard for marine protection.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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Unlike conventional batteries, SZABs use seawater as the electrolyte due to its high ionic conductivity, thereby avoiding the need for freshwater resources and enabling cost-effective, scalable applications in marine environments, according to the study.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Now, the Grand Slam champ unveiled an exoskeletal, oceanic outfit at the 2026 Australian Open.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
20 Jan. 2026
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Migratory sharks, like blue, oceanic whitetip, and hammerhead, face threats from unregulated fishing, bycatch, and habitat disruption.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Japan has launched a month-long deep-sea mission aimed at unlocking a new domestic source of rare earth elements, a move that could reshape how the country secures critical minerals used in electric vehicles, electronics, and defense systems.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
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Tankers are seen at the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the only natural deep-sea port in the region and one of the major container ports in the Sharjah Emirate, along the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes on June 23, 2025.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pelagic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pelagic. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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