as in rays
any of several extremely large rays
the manta ray blended in beautifully with the sandy ocean floor
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Recent Examples of manta rays
Keep an eye out for sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, and manta rays.
—
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
The affected zone also sits along a critical migration corridor for reef manta rays, one of the archipelago’s biggest tourism draws.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Attracted by artificial light, dozens of gentle manta rays playfully brushed against us.
—Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Upon entering the Visitor's Center, guests are greeted by life-size models of North Atlantic right whales, dolphins, and manta rays, along with dioramas depicting marshes, sand dunes, and coastal habitats.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Sea turtles snoozed, manta rays glided, and reef fish darted by the thousands over lava pinnacles covered in corals and basket sponges.
—Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
More folk are looking for escapes that take them to the most remote corners of earth—many of which these larger animals like humpback whales, sperm whales, and giant manta rays call home.
—Luke Abrahams, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
The ocean harvest regulations endorsed by the commission Wednesday would limit the taking of giant manta rays in Florida waters for aquarium display to one every two years.
—News Service Of Florida, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
The world’s oceans are home to an exquisite variety of sharks and rays, from the largest fishes in the sea – the majestic whale shark and manta rays – to the luminescent but rarely seen deep-water lantern shark and guitarfishes.
—Gareth J. Fraser, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
The affected zone also sits along a critical migration corridor for reef manta rays, one of the archipelago’s biggest tourism draws.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Attracted by artificial light, dozens of gentle manta rays playfully brushed against us.
—Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Upon entering the Visitor's Center, guests are greeted by life-size models of North Atlantic right whales, dolphins, and manta rays, along with dioramas depicting marshes, sand dunes, and coastal habitats.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Sea turtles snoozed, manta rays glided, and reef fish darted by the thousands over lava pinnacles covered in corals and basket sponges.
—Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
More folk are looking for escapes that take them to the most remote corners of earth—many of which these larger animals like humpback whales, sperm whales, and giant manta rays call home.
—Luke Abrahams, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
The ocean harvest regulations endorsed by the commission Wednesday would limit the taking of giant manta rays in Florida waters for aquarium display to one every two years.
—News Service Of Florida, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
The world’s oceans are home to an exquisite variety of sharks and rays, from the largest fishes in the sea – the majestic whale shark and manta rays – to the luminescent but rarely seen deep-water lantern shark and guitarfishes.
—Gareth J. Fraser, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manta rays
rays
Noun
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The system studied by the team is known as Cygnus X-1 (Cyg X-1), located 7,000 light-years away and one of the brightest sources of X-rays in the sky.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The neo-bluegrass musician took to social media Monday to post photos of himself laid up in a hospital bed, along with multiple X-rays of the nuts and bolts now holding his leg together.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Manta rays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manta%20rays. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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