variants
or Kraken
plural krakens or Krakens or kraken or Kraken
: a gigantic tentacled sea monster of Scandinavian myth
Mythical krakens are now thought of as giant squid or octopuses, capable of bringing down a ship with their tentacled arms. But many of the earliest kraken reports were of creatures so enormous that they grew vegetation on their backs like islands.—
Stephanie Pappas
Stephanie Pappas
Examples of kraken in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken Starring: Lana Condor, Annie Murphy, Jane Fonda
Don't let the mermaids and krakens fool you—this isn't your ordinary animated feature.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 6 Oct. 2023
According to the study, this behavior may have inspired legends of mermaids and krakens as early explorers and anglers sailed the seas.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2023
Mixed in its pages are original sketches and paintings from the expedition, a display of creatures every bit as strange as the kraken and the leviathan, though far less demonic.
—Carl Hoffman, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2023
Jumping into the ocean activates a dormant power within the young kraken, who, while saving her crush from drowning, grows exponentially.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 June 2023
Ruby Gillman, voiced by Lana Condor, is part of a family of four krakens passing as humans.
—Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 28 June 2023
Take, for example, the finale of his 2018 movie Hotel Transylvania 3, a DJ battle to control the dance moves of an enormous kraken.
—Vulture, 21 June 2023
Contact with water awakens something deep within Ruby and releases her inner kraken.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 June 2023
After feasting on the delicious sea reptile, the kraken felt artistic and made a self-portrait, arranging their bones in a pattern resembling the suckers on its tentacle.
—Douglas Main, Discover Magazine, 11 Oct. 2011
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Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 6 Oct. 2023
According to the study, this behavior may have inspired legends of mermaids and krakens as early explorers and anglers sailed the seas.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2023
Mixed in its pages are original sketches and paintings from the expedition, a display of creatures every bit as strange as the kraken and the leviathan, though far less demonic.
—Carl Hoffman, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2023
Jumping into the ocean activates a dormant power within the young kraken, who, while saving her crush from drowning, grows exponentially.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 June 2023
Ruby Gillman, voiced by Lana Condor, is part of a family of four krakens passing as humans.
—Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 28 June 2023
Take, for example, the finale of his 2018 movie Hotel Transylvania 3, a DJ battle to control the dance moves of an enormous kraken.
—Vulture, 21 June 2023
Contact with water awakens something deep within Ruby and releases her inner kraken.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 June 2023
After feasting on the delicious sea reptile, the kraken felt artistic and made a self-portrait, arranging their bones in a pattern resembling the suckers on its tentacle.
—Douglas Main, Discover Magazine, 11 Oct. 2011
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kraken.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Norwegian dialect
First Known Use
1755, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Kraken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kraken. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
kraken
noun
kra·ken
ˈkräk-ən 
: a sea monster of Scandinavian legend
More from Merriam-Webster on kraken
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kraken
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