1
as in marine
of or relating to the sea
among pelagic animals the undisputed king is the blue whale, the largest creature currently roaming the face of the earth
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pelagic
For the advanced, channels around the islands work like pelagic highways, attracting more than 3,000 different marine species.
—
Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
But since these pelagic fish spend most of their time at depths of 1,000 feet or more, and are typically only caught by ocean longliners, scientists are still trying to understand their biology and life histories.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2025
Beginners can explore shallow reefs with abundant marine life, while advanced divers can venture to deeper sites with strong currents and the chance to encounter pelagic species.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 June 2025
The scientists noticed a drop in their prey, such as small pelagic fishes in the case of seals and smaller benthic sharks in the case of sevengill sharks.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pelagic
Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
But since these pelagic fish spend most of their time at depths of 1,000 feet or more, and are typically only caught by ocean longliners, scientists are still trying to understand their biology and life histories.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2025
Beginners can explore shallow reefs with abundant marine life, while advanced divers can venture to deeper sites with strong currents and the chance to encounter pelagic species.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 June 2025
The scientists noticed a drop in their prey, such as small pelagic fishes in the case of seals and smaller benthic sharks in the case of sevengill sharks.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pelagic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pelagic
Adjective
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Protective coatings and paints are one of the most mature applications, especially in marine, industrial, automotive, and infrastructure settings, where self-healing layers can close micro-scratches and prevent corrosion.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
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But fertilizing terrestrial crops with marine material may muddle that work.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Dogfish have fewer electroreceptors than many open-water species such as blacktips and oceanic whitetips, which are susceptible to longlines meant for tuna and swordfish.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
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So when scientists discovered slivers of much older continental crust surrounded by younger oceanic material, something didn’t add up.—
Evan Howell,
Scientific American,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Treat yourself to a deep-sea fishing charter for memories that will last forever.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
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Researchers initially set out to investigate cold seeps, deep-sea areas where methane and other chemical emissions from the ocean floor sustain microbial life.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pelagic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pelagic. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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