Illustration of sperm whale
: a very large toothed whale (Physeter macrocephalus synonym P. catodon) that has large conical teeth in the lower jaw, a single blowhole, and a massive squarish head with a closed cavity containing a fluid mixture of spermaceti and oil, and that may reach a length in the male of nearly 60 feet (18.3 meters)
Examples of sperm whale in a Sentence
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The bachelor sperm whales visiting the Caribbean island of Dominica don’t speak—at least not in the way humans understand speech.
—
Adam Erace, Fortune, 24 May 2026
On the ride itself, visitors will see high-def erupting volcanoes, frozen landscapes as well as wildlife including seals, sperm whales, polar bears and beluga whales, during a watery virtual plunge.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
At least the whale wouldn’t be blown up with half a ton of dynamite, like the sperm whale that had beached more than half a century earlier, just 30 miles south of Yachats.
—Robin Romm, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
Others who pass through include minke whales, pilot whales, sperm whales, orcas, and the species of dolphin known as the false killer whale.
—Alanna Bennett, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Apr. 2026
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Adam Erace, Fortune, 24 May 2026
On the ride itself, visitors will see high-def erupting volcanoes, frozen landscapes as well as wildlife including seals, sperm whales, polar bears and beluga whales, during a watery virtual plunge.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
At least the whale wouldn’t be blown up with half a ton of dynamite, like the sperm whale that had beached more than half a century earlier, just 30 miles south of Yachats.
—Robin Romm, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
Others who pass through include minke whales, pilot whales, sperm whales, orcas, and the species of dolphin known as the false killer whale.
—Alanna Bennett, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sperm whale
Cite this Entry
“Sperm whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sperm%20whale. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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