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
Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
From there, everyone rows imua (forward), keeping eyes peeled for sea turtles, sea urchin, and on a really good day in January or February, a mama whale and her baby.
—Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 14 May 2026
Fin whales, like other large marine life drawn to the area, feast on krill and schooling fish.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 14 May 2026
So bad that no transaction based on similar terms, where minnow swallows the whale for a king’s ransom, could happen again, or even be floated, right?
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for whale
Noun
Trump blamed wind turbines for mass killing whales and birds.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
From there, everyone rows imua (forward), keeping eyes peeled for sea turtles, sea urchin, and on a really good day in January or February, a mama whale and her baby.
—Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 14 May 2026
Fin whales, like other large marine life drawn to the area, feast on krill and schooling fish.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 14 May 2026
So bad that no transaction based on similar terms, where minnow swallows the whale for a king’s ransom, could happen again, or even be floated, right?
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for whale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whale
Noun
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Or, perhaps most dramatically, one such clustering happened some 66 million years ago when an asteroid collided with Earth, darkening the skies and likely wiping out the dinosaurs - and over half of all plant species.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
19 May 2026
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Rafa smiles and picks up another dinosaur by its tail.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Andy Pages hit a three-run home run and Max Muncy hit his 12th homer of the season on the next at-bat to break a scoreless game in the fourth inning.—
Liana Handler,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2026
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For cocktails and nightlife, hit TopGolf or Nola’s for live music then end the night strong with a table at HQ nightclub where resident and guest DJs keep the dance floor bumping and bottle servers keep the bubbly and energy flowing.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Verb
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That day, Riley had been editing a sequence in which Corvette sneaks into a San Francisco condo owned by Christie, her fashion idol, by hiding inside a coffee delivery cart.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
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Bugs also tend to hide inside packaging, seams, or even the food itself.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The parallels between Ines’ dilemma and that of a nation being asked to lick its wounds in silence — in the name of moving on from past miseries — are present but elusive.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2026
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At one point A’zion licks the digitally de-aged Mick Jagger’s face.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Adani Green Energy withdrew its wind energy projects from Sri Lanka after the country sought to renegotiate prices, while a French oil giant also paused new investments.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
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This compact began to fray in the 2010s as the scrappy upstarts of the early days grew into globe-spanning giants with untold power and influence.—
Jonathan Weber,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Verb
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The investigation determined that Castillo used his control panel to unlock the third inmate’s cell, and in his line of sight, the pair pulled open the door, entered the cell and proceeded to punch and kick the victim.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
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Two inmates punched and kicked the victim for about 30 seconds in his cell, while a third inmate stood guard.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Verb
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There’s also a menu of small snacks, with mezzes like hummus, tzatziki, whipped feta, falafel, halloumi, artichoke and eggplant.—
Connie Ogle
May 15,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
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The one-time Ducks first-round draft pick whipped a shot through traffic from just above the slot.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Her silver nail polish—reminiscent of the shade worn by Lou Reed (from one New York legend to another) in footage shown during Todd Haynes’s documentary The Velvet Underground—sparkles as Gaga pounds the keys of her piano throughout the film.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
15 May 2026
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The park in Arlington features pulse-pounding water slides, relaxing lazy rivers, and family-friendly play areas.—
Natassia Paloma,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whale. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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