plural tarpon or tarpons
: a large silvery elongated bony fish (Megalops atlanticus of the family Megalopidae) that occurs especially in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and warm coastal waters of the Atlantic, reaches a length of about six feet (two meters), and is often caught for sport
Examples of tarpon in a Sentence
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According to Daiwa’s Chris Martin, the reels were designed to battle tough fish such as marlin, tarpon, goliath grouper and yellowfin tuna.
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Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 23 Nov. 2025
Casting distance and accuracy are crucial; being able to cast at least 40 feet puts you in a position to catch most saltwater fish, but a cast of 75 feet or longer will give you the best chance at catching a large tarpon or the ever-elusive permit.
—Robert Annis, Outside, 22 Nov. 2025
More than a century later, the tradition endures; the particularly deep waters of Boca Grande Pass—the channel between Gasparilla Island and Cayo Costa—naturally funnel in the massive migratory fish until the channel teems with tarpon, and anglers come from all over to participate.
—Staff Author, Southern Living, 15 Nov. 2025
As in much of McGuane’s fiction, the natural environment—in this case, the vitreous Florida flats, and the angler-tormenting tarpon, permit, and bonefish that populate them—provides the foil.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
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Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 23 Nov. 2025
Casting distance and accuracy are crucial; being able to cast at least 40 feet puts you in a position to catch most saltwater fish, but a cast of 75 feet or longer will give you the best chance at catching a large tarpon or the ever-elusive permit.
—Robert Annis, Outside, 22 Nov. 2025
More than a century later, the tradition endures; the particularly deep waters of Boca Grande Pass—the channel between Gasparilla Island and Cayo Costa—naturally funnel in the massive migratory fish until the channel teems with tarpon, and anglers come from all over to participate.
—Staff Author, Southern Living, 15 Nov. 2025
As in much of McGuane’s fiction, the natural environment—in this case, the vitreous Florida flats, and the angler-tormenting tarpon, permit, and bonefish that populate them—provides the foil.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tarpon
Cite this Entry
“Tarpon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tarpon. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tarpon
noun
tar·pon
ˈtär-pən 
plural tarpon or tarpons
: a large silvery sport fish found in the Gulf of Mexico and warm coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean
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