as in whale
something or someone that is unusually large and powerful
by any standard, the new shopping mall will be an elephant and one that is certain to alter the retail landscape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 elephant
The sprawling complex is home to 150,000 animals of 2,000 species, including elephants, tigers, lions and bears – but no hippos.
—
Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 1 May 2026
There are no elephants here—but don’t be surprised to find zebras or gazelles walking across the estate.
—Samantha Falewée, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026
In this minimalist floral centerpiece, lemons and kumquats pair with yellow roses and peonies, a flowering branch of pink weigela, and a sculptural, deep red elephant's ear.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026
Dosio, a 75-year-old big game hunter, was killed on April 17 during a hunting trip in Gabon, Central Africa, after a herd of elephants attacked him in the rainforest.
—Ryan Brennan
april 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elephant
Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 1 May 2026
There are no elephants here—but don’t be surprised to find zebras or gazelles walking across the estate.
—Samantha Falewée, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026
In this minimalist floral centerpiece, lemons and kumquats pair with yellow roses and peonies, a flowering branch of pink weigela, and a sculptural, deep red elephant's ear.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026
Dosio, a 75-year-old big game hunter, was killed on April 17 during a hunting trip in Gabon, Central Africa, after a herd of elephants attacked him in the rainforest.
—Ryan Brennan
april 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elephant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elephant
Noun
-
The proposal would establish a whale monitoring desk at the San Francisco Coast Guard station to provide real-time tracking of migrating whales, allowing fishermen to avoid high-risk areas.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
-
Veterinary technicians took out their tackle boxes of medications and sedated the whale, and then the tribe prayed, drummed, and offered thanks to the whale and to the people who tried to help it.—
Robin Romm,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
The parcel delivery giant backed its full-year guidance.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Dubbed the Flannel and the Fury, the tour brings together the alt-rock giants for the first time, with dates in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and other cities.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Dinosaurs is a 10-acre outdoor attraction featuring more than 40 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, along with walking trails, live shows and interactive exhibits.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Scientists have studied giant octopus relatives that roamed when dinosaurs were around, and researched some small octopuses that drilled into clams.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Not for Gage Goncalves, who set this thing in motion with a monster goal in overtime in the Lightning’s 1-0 Game 6 victory at the Bell Centre.—
John Romano,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
-
The titular monsters in this anthology series tend to do well at the Emmys (Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer and Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez were both nominated).—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
In a twist of prehistoric irony, our ancestors’ hunting skills proved too effective, leading to the extinction of mammoths around 10,000 years ago—and mammoth-bone dwellings with them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
-
Fossils have also been found that indicate the islands were also once home to pygmy mammoths, which only reached 4 to 6 feet tall.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elephant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elephant. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
