plural herring or herrings
1
: either of two food fishes (genus Clupea):
a
: one (C. harengus) that is abundant in the temperate and colder parts of the North Atlantic and that in the adult state is preserved by smoking or salting and in the young state is extensively canned and sold as sardines
b
: one (C. pallasi synonym C. h. pallasi) of the North Pacific harvested especially for its roe
2
: any of a large family (Clupeidae) of soft-finned bony fishes (such as the herrings, shads, sardines, and menhadens) that have a laterally compressed body and a forked tail and usually occur in schools
Examples of herring in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, and herring are among the healthiest choices thanks to their rich omega-3 content, low mercury levels, and high levels of other essential vitamins and minerals.
—
Jillian Kubala, Health, 6 Nov. 2025
So are oily fish — like anchovies, herring, salmon, sardines and striped bass — some nuts and seeds, and soybeans and tofu.
—Barbara Mantel, NBC news, 2 Nov. 2025
Teams must then ride tandem bikes to a cheese market, while Jack and Enzo chow down on some herring.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 25 Sep. 2025
However, eating fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and herring is better for heart health than just using supplements, Beal added.
—Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for herring
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Jillian Kubala, Health, 6 Nov. 2025
So are oily fish — like anchovies, herring, salmon, sardines and striped bass — some nuts and seeds, and soybeans and tofu.
—Barbara Mantel, NBC news, 2 Nov. 2025
Teams must then ride tandem bikes to a cheese market, while Jack and Enzo chow down on some herring.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 25 Sep. 2025
However, eating fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and herring is better for heart health than just using supplements, Beal added.
—Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for herring
Cite this Entry
“Herring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herring. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
herring
noun
her·ring
ˈher-iŋ 
plural herring or herrings
: a valuable food fish that is very common in the north Atlantic Ocean
also
: any of various fishes like this one or related to it
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