gray whale

noun

: a large baleen whale (Eschrichtius robustus) of the northern Pacific having short jaws and no dorsal fin

Examples of gray whale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Humpback whales and blue whales—the largest animals in the world—gather from June through September, while gray whales visit the Channel Islands from December to April. Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026 This is ideal food for gray whales, who leverage a unique bottom-feeding strategy. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026 California’s gray whales have been considered an environmental success story since the passage of the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act and 1986’s global ban on commercial whaling. David Helvarg, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026 The deaths included 21 gray whales, two unidentified baleen whales, and one minke whale, according to the California Academy of Sciences. Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gray whale

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gray whale was in 1834

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gray whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gray%20whale. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

gray whale

noun
: a large baleen whale of the northern Pacific Ocean

More from Merriam-Webster on gray whale

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster