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
Its successor has since entered use, most recently allowing herring to bypass a spillway for the first time in 80 years.
—
New Atlas, 12 May 2025
Why Forage Fish Conservation Matters James MacDonald May 19, 2019
Small fish like herring and anchovies serve an important role in the ecosystem.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 22 Apr. 2025
This three-course meal ($165 per person) features a selection of herrings and cold seafood preparations for the first course.
—Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Tourism and fishing livelihoods fell apart overnight with tarnished coastlines and obliterated runs of wild salmon and herring that took decades to recover.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025
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New Atlas, 12 May 2025
Why Forage Fish Conservation Matters James MacDonald May 19, 2019
Small fish like herring and anchovies serve an important role in the ecosystem.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 22 Apr. 2025
This three-course meal ($165 per person) features a selection of herrings and cold seafood preparations for the first course.
—Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Tourism and fishing livelihoods fell apart overnight with tarnished coastlines and obliterated runs of wild salmon and herring that took decades to recover.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 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 8 Jul. 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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