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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Vessel strikes are a common killer of right whales today, but warming ocean waters and gear used in fishing have created new threats.
—
Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 30 Jan. 2026
There are estimated to be just 384 right whales left in the world.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
The North Atlantic right whale is one of the rarest whale species in the world, according to the New England Aquarium.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Then a second survey last Thursday found more than 20 right whales.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 13 Jan. 2026
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Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 30 Jan. 2026
There are estimated to be just 384 right whales left in the world.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
The North Atlantic right whale is one of the rarest whale species in the world, according to the New England Aquarium.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Then a second survey last Thursday found more than 20 right whales.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 13 Jan. 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 13 Feb. 2026.
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