Illustration of right whale
right whale
noun
: any of several large baleen whales (family Balaenidae and especially genus Eubalaena) that lack a dorsal fin and have very long baleen plates, an extremely large head with a V-shaped blowhole, a smooth throat, short, broad, rounded flippers, and whitish protuberances of thickened skin about the head
Examples of right whale in a Sentence
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There are only about 380 right whales left.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
Why These Whales Are So Vulnerable NOAA Fisheries has listed North Atlantic right whales as endangered since 1970.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
There are approximately 380 North Atlantic right whales remaining.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Southern right whales no longer come to breed near the Valdés Peninsula.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
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Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
Why These Whales Are So Vulnerable NOAA Fisheries has listed North Atlantic right whales as endangered since 1970.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
There are approximately 380 North Atlantic right whales remaining.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Southern right whales no longer come to breed near the Valdés Peninsula.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for right whale
Cite this Entry
“Right whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/right%20whale. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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