mantas

plural of manta
as in rays
any of several extremely large rays a manta glided along the sea bottom

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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 mantas From roughly October through March, higher concentrations of plankton can attract larger groups of mantas but make the water cloudier. Sarah Bruning, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2026 Divers captured video footage of Galápagos sharks approaching manta rays and deliberately rubbing parts of their bodies, especially their heads, gill regions and sides, against the mantas’ undersides. Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 The resident Manta Trust team has catalogued 150 individual rays and uses the world's first underwater contactless ultrasound scanner to check on pregnant mantas, while the Olive Ridley Project leads turtle research across Laamu Atoll. Jonny Bierman, Time, 12 Mar. 2026 Also in the Tuamotus, on the atoll of Tikehau, divers head out to Tuheiava Pass with Tikehau Diving for regular sightings of mantas at a cleaning station (pinnacles that draw large fish to have their gills, teeth, and carapaces cleaned by smaller ones). Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025 Divers can expect to explore underwater cliffs and walls teeming with mantas, tuna, and various species of sharks. Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mantas
rays
Noun
  • Standard galactic black holes are ringed by a thick doughnut of gas and dust, which can block most X-rays.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Then there’s the sun, which has powerful UV rays that can fade everything from your drapes down to your hardwood floors.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mantas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mantas. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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