as in dinosaur
something that is unusually large and powerful
a whale of a pickup truck
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
whaled the ball so hard that it sailed over the fence and into the neighbor's yard
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to hide
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
whaled the rug with a broom to knock the dirt out of it
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
mercilessly whaled the pickpocket for stealing from her purse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whale
Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
The whale is believed not to be an adult yet.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 19 Feb. 2026
Jamieson expects other Antarctic sharks live at the same depth, feeding on the carcasses of whales, giant squids and other marine creatures that die and sink to the bottom.
—CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Tulkun Council For the Tulkun council scene, the animation team animated the Tulkun — huge, whale-like sea creatures — rising through a blocking simulation of the water surface.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whale
Noun
Jamieson expects other Antarctic sharks may live at similar depths, feeding on carcasses of whales, giant squids and other marine animals that sink to the seafloor.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
The whale is believed not to be an adult yet.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 19 Feb. 2026
Jamieson expects other Antarctic sharks live at the same depth, feeding on the carcasses of whales, giant squids and other marine creatures that die and sink to the bottom.
—CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Tulkun Council For the Tulkun council scene, the animation team animated the Tulkun — huge, whale-like sea creatures — rising through a blocking simulation of the water surface.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whale
Noun
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Colossal isn't bringing back dinosaurs.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
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Tree ferns, survivors from the age of the dinosaurs, towered above.—
Betsy Andrews,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Elsewhere, stories of economic gloom – from galloping inflation to restaurant closures and the knock-on impact of severe tax increases – describe the many ways in which the prolonged war in Ukraine is now hitting Russians hard in the pocket at home.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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Finally, Kylie Minogue bags another top 40 hit thanks to the release of Tension Tour/Live 2025 (Mushroom Music) on CD and vinyl.—
Lars Brandle,
Billboard,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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However, Archaeology News continues that earlier reports also identified a wooden stool and a cattle hide that did not survive, in fact.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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Many shoppers assume the shine hides spoilage or adds chemicals.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Though his injuries were severe, the sailors watched in wonder as the cat determinedly licked his wounds, then got back to work destroying the rats threatening the ship’s food stores.—
Anne Ewbank,
Popular Science,
18 Feb. 2026
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Spit Heathcliff spends a lot of time straight-up licking Cathy’s face in this movie.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The case could set a precedent for holding social media companies responsible for dangerous design decisions, after years of tech giants fending off lawsuits under Section 230, the law that shields them from liability for user content.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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China’s tech giants are betting heavily on these versatile platforms.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The police statement claims that upon being released, LaBeouf struck the same man with his fists before allegedly punching another man in the nose.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Feb. 2026
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Additionally, the actor assaulted another man by punching him in the nose, according to police.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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They were instead captured and publicly whipped.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
19 Feb. 2026
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Those who observe Lent will spend the next several Fridays whipping out fish recipes or attending a fish fry and abstaining from eating meat.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Gabriel Basso headlines the pulse-pounding series.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Feb. 2026
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The journey winds through sweeping turns before plunging into a dramatic 910-degree double helix that spirals into a mine shaft, delivering both heart-pounding excitement and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whale. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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