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
With fewer than 360 whales remaining, the North Atlantic right whale is approaching extinction, NOAA says.
—
Rebekah Riess, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Researchers have recorded 123 adult right whales in the bay this season, but no mother-calf duos, until now, officials said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Some lose it after birth, while others – including the humpback and right whales – have short hairs on their face.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024
According to the study, pygmy right whales likely forgo long-distance migrations and instead live in the warm waters around Australia year-round.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024
Many organizations are involved in tracking North Atlantic right whales, including government agencies, aquariums and conservation groups.
—Joshua Reed, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2024
New England’s fishermen have also been increasingly impacted by regulations put in place to protect right whales—one of the most endangered species of all large whales—that impact when and for how long fishermen can be on the water.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Pregnant female right whales migrate from the waters off Canada and New England to the Southeastern United States during the winter to give birth.
—USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024
The much rarer North Atlantic right whale with fewer than 360 on Earth is also experiencing an unusual mortality event.
—Christina Larson, Fortune, 24 Dec. 2023
Rebekah Riess, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Researchers have recorded 123 adult right whales in the bay this season, but no mother-calf duos, until now, officials said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Some lose it after birth, while others – including the humpback and right whales – have short hairs on their face.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024
According to the study, pygmy right whales likely forgo long-distance migrations and instead live in the warm waters around Australia year-round.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024
Many organizations are involved in tracking North Atlantic right whales, including government agencies, aquariums and conservation groups.
—Joshua Reed, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2024
New England’s fishermen have also been increasingly impacted by regulations put in place to protect right whales—one of the most endangered species of all large whales—that impact when and for how long fishermen can be on the water.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Pregnant female right whales migrate from the waters off Canada and New England to the Southeastern United States during the winter to give birth.
—USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024
The much rarer North Atlantic right whale with fewer than 360 on Earth is also experiencing an unusual mortality event.
—Christina Larson, Fortune, 24 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'right whale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near right whale
Cite this Entry
“Right whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/right%20whale. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share