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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Recent Examples of pelagic
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
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
Some 134,000 tons of frozen pelagic fish — such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel, sprats and herring — are thawed and tossed into European tuna cages every year.
—Julia Amberger, Nanni Fontana, Marzio Mian, & Nicola Scevola (tr. Elettra Pauletto), The Dial, 3 Apr. 2025
The usual hue of the living version is greenish-brown, according to John Ugoretz, pelagic fisheries and ecosystem program manager for the department.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pelagic
Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 18 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
Some 134,000 tons of frozen pelagic fish — such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel, sprats and herring — are thawed and tossed into European tuna cages every year.
—Julia Amberger, Nanni Fontana, Marzio Mian, & Nicola Scevola (tr. Elettra Pauletto), The Dial, 3 Apr. 2025
The usual hue of the living version is greenish-brown, according to John Ugoretz, pelagic fisheries and ecosystem program manager for the department.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pelagic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pelagic
Adjective
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Plus, pioneering inserts like the Nemo window, a transparent area below the waterline where guests can watch marine life flicker past the hull.—
Tristan Rutherford,
Robb Report,
26 Sep. 2025
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Robbie McNulty of Salty Mac Tours has an infectious energy and an impressive amount of knowledge about marine life.—
Nora Heston Tarte,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Over the past fifty years, populations of oceanic sharks and rays have declined by over 70 percent.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Dynamical climate models play a leading role, but forecasters also consider soil moisture, long-term climate trends and oceanic and atmospheric patterns like El Niño and La Niña.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Recently, however, talk of deep-sea mining has resumed.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
26 Sep. 2025
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The lenses of deep-sea fish are also especially susceptible to clouding, in the same way that egg whites go from clear to opaque when hard-boiled.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pelagic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pelagic. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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