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
Recent Examples on the Web
There's already been more than 100 individual right whales spotted in Cape Cod Bay this season, include a record 33 sightings in January.
—
Neal Riley, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Upon entering the Visitor's Center, guests are greeted by life-size models of North Atlantic right whales, dolphins, and manta rays, along with dioramas depicting marshes, sand dunes, and coastal habitats.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has proposed amendments to the North Atlantic right whale speed rule from 2008.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Remains of woolly mammoths thought to be the last of their species, housed in the University of Alaska Museum of the North, are in fact the remains of a North Pacific right whale and a minke whale.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
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Neal Riley, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Upon entering the Visitor's Center, guests are greeted by life-size models of North Atlantic right whales, dolphins, and manta rays, along with dioramas depicting marshes, sand dunes, and coastal habitats.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has proposed amendments to the North Atlantic right whale speed rule from 2008.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Remains of woolly mammoths thought to be the last of their species, housed in the University of Alaska Museum of the North, are in fact the remains of a North Pacific right whale and a minke whale.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 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 12 Mar. 2026.
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