as in to stab
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
she deftly harpooned a shrimp with her skewer and held it over the fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of harpoon
Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025
Someone is then shot with a harpoon, only to have their guts pulled like taffy from the wound.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2025
With a microscope, these setae look like harpoons, and they’re filled with cocktails of venom proteins that are to scientists like Walker what light is to moths.
—Ivan Amato, Scientific American, 30 Jan. 2025
After trying to convince the disgruntled clerk to take it off his hands, the monkey bangs its drum, causing a harpoon gun on display to impale the clerk and rip out his entrails.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harpoon
Verb
Later, the antler was likely repurposed as part of a harpoon, a pointed spear used to catch fish.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025
Someone is then shot with a harpoon, only to have their guts pulled like taffy from the wound.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2025
With a microscope, these setae look like harpoons, and they’re filled with cocktails of venom proteins that are to scientists like Walker what light is to moths.
—Ivan Amato, Scientific American, 30 Jan. 2025
After trying to convince the disgruntled clerk to take it off his hands, the monkey bangs its drum, causing a harpoon gun on display to impale the clerk and rip out his entrails.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harpoon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harpoon
Verb
-
At some point, one of Valle's friends allegedly gave him a knife, which was used during the brawl to stab McGrath.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
-
Porter was seen using his right hand to stab Abdirahman in the neck, according to the court documents.—
Mike Stunson
July 10,
Kansas City Star,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
More minutes should follow in the States, even if Mbaye has the unenviable task of trying to break into one of Europe’s most devastating attacking tridents.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
-
The attacking trident has cut a swathe through opposition defenses this season to the extent that, Ada Hegerberg, the all-time record goalscorer in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, and Éugenie Le Sommer, the club’s all-time record goalscorer, have both been kept out of the Lyon starting line-up.—
Asif Burhan,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
With piercing honesty and raw emotion, Jean Smart delivers a powerful monologue in Call Me Izzy, a new play written by Jamie Wax and directed by Sarna Lapine.—
H. Alan Scott,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
The hot nights pierced with cold decisions on young men’s futures.—
Devon Henderson,
Oc Register,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
Political tipping points are just the tip of the spear.—
Ginny Whitelaw,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Advertisement Advertisement The upshot: our college graduates’ woes could be just the tip of the spear.—
Paul Tudor Jones,
Time,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
Steering column was pushed into his chest, broke his ribs, rib punctured his heart.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 July 2025
-
Another teen girl was stabbed, her lung punctured, during the melee.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
During different events, the guards will add white gloves, a black helmet and/or the halberd.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
-
The retainer then struck her down with a halberd, set the mansion ablaze, and committed seppuku.—
Nicholas Liu,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2024
Verb
-
Former Major League Baseball (MLB) starter Trevor Bauer took Pete Rose’s reinstatement as another avenue to jab the league.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2025
-
Nearly 150 people were jabbed with syringes during a street music festival in France, the country’s interior ministry said, adding that authorities had arrested at least 12 suspects.—
Astha Rajvanshi,
NBC news,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
Thompson will need to prove the most in this area to stick, as well.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
-
The new websites offer a variety of information that appears to stick closely to generally accepted definitions and science around geoengineering and the government’s ongoing research on contrails.—
Pilar Melendez,
NBC news,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harpoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harpoon. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share