Illustration of humpback whale
humpback whale
noun
: a large baleen whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) that is black above and white below and has very long flippers and fleshy tubercles along the snout
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Though more commonly associated with their long migrations from Alaska to Hawaii or showing off for whale watchers off the coast of New England, a unique population of humpback whales call the Arabian Sea home.
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Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 19 June 2026
Small dusky dolphins swarm the boat, riding its bow wave, while Hector’s dolphins, albatrosses, and humpback whales make cameos.
—Steve Madgwick, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2026
Fast-forward to today, as Arabian humpback whales navigate between sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and Beston’s prescient quote takes on new resonance.
—The Los Angeles Times, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
On Sunday, June 14, the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) disentangled a relatively small humpback whale after recreational boaters spotted the animal anchored in fishing gear in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary late that morning, CCS said in a press release.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
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Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 19 June 2026
Small dusky dolphins swarm the boat, riding its bow wave, while Hector’s dolphins, albatrosses, and humpback whales make cameos.
—Steve Madgwick, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2026
Fast-forward to today, as Arabian humpback whales navigate between sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and Beston’s prescient quote takes on new resonance.
—The Los Angeles Times, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
On Sunday, June 14, the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) disentangled a relatively small humpback whale after recreational boaters spotted the animal anchored in fishing gear in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary late that morning, CCS said in a press release.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for humpback whale
Cite this Entry
“Humpback whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humpback%20whale. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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