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
Examples of humpback whale in a Sentence
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that since January 2016, there has been an increase in humpback whale mortalities along the Atlantic coast, from Maine through Florida.
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Sara Chernikoff, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
Ship strikes are a primary cause of death for gray, blue, fin and humpback whales that frequent California’s coasts, according to the groups.
—Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 31 July 2025
On July 27, humpback whale calves and their mamas were seen leaping from the water, according to a July 30 Facebook post by the Monterey Bay Whale Watch.
—Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2025
From December to April, there’s free entertainment on the beach courtesy of the thousands of humpback whales that migrate every year from Alaska to mate and give birth, and there’s nothing like seeing a marine mammal the size of a school bus throw itself completely out of the water.
—Barbara Schuler, Travel + Leisure, 30 July 2025
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Sara Chernikoff, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
Ship strikes are a primary cause of death for gray, blue, fin and humpback whales that frequent California’s coasts, according to the groups.
—Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 31 July 2025
On July 27, humpback whale calves and their mamas were seen leaping from the water, according to a July 30 Facebook post by the Monterey Bay Whale Watch.
—Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2025
From December to April, there’s free entertainment on the beach courtesy of the thousands of humpback whales that migrate every year from Alaska to mate and give birth, and there’s nothing like seeing a marine mammal the size of a school bus throw itself completely out of the water.
—Barbara Schuler, Travel + Leisure, 30 July 2025
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 19 Aug. 2025.
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