as in dinosaurs
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 hits
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 hides
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 pounds
to strike repeatedly
mercilessly whaled the pickpocket for stealing from her purse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whales
Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 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
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.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
The only item that was written down in his will was John’s beloved scrimshaw set—sailor’s carvings made from whales’ teeth.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 12 Feb. 2026
With stunning coasts lined with calving glaciers and icy fjords, the very best Alaska cruise itineraries offer travelers the opportunity to be immersed in the culture of Indigenous villages, and spot wildlife like whales, seals, and bald eagles right from their stateroom balcony.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
The whales are selling up, according to Jefferies analyst Andrew Moss.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
Heavy snow, extreme winds and rough seas kept the whales from being butchered in a timely fashion.
—Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
His lack of availability, though, has definitely tempered any interest in the trade market with potentially bigger whales to go get.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
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
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
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.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
The only item that was written down in his will was John’s beloved scrimshaw set—sailor’s carvings made from whales’ teeth.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 12 Feb. 2026
With stunning coasts lined with calving glaciers and icy fjords, the very best Alaska cruise itineraries offer travelers the opportunity to be immersed in the culture of Indigenous villages, and spot wildlife like whales, seals, and bald eagles right from their stateroom balcony.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
The whales are selling up, according to Jefferies analyst Andrew Moss.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
Heavy snow, extreme winds and rough seas kept the whales from being butchered in a timely fashion.
—Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
His lack of availability, though, has definitely tempered any interest in the trade market with potentially bigger whales to go get.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whales
Noun
-
Lee compared the survival patterns to the coelacanth, a deep-water fish that survived the mass extinction that eliminated non-avian dinosaurs.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Patagonia is one of the world’s hot spots for fossils of dinosaurs, large and small.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
While this tends to be the case for any Mercury retrograde, those themes are bolstered by the fact that this Mercury retrograde hits your twelfth house of spirituality.—
Maressa Brown,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The star produces x-rays as its stellar wind hits the cooler interstellar medium surrounding the star.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Linda at one point hides from a rescue team, dreading a return to a society where the Bradleys of the world trod over the Lindas.—
Sarah Jackson,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2026
-
When the government hides its jails from Congress and treats state health mandates as obstacles, the issue is no longer immigration policy.—
Dave Myers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the present, Simon (now played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) pounds his car’s steering wheel, driving away from wreckage.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The claw then releases the broken bikes and pounds them down once more for good measure.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The contention that the tech giants are responsible stakeholders has no shortage of rebuttals—even before their founders burrowed to the beating heart of the White House.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Big Pharma has figured this out; when lives are at stake, second-best won’t do, so Western pharmaceutical giants are licensing innovative therapies for cancer and other diseases that are pouring out of Chinese labs, even as these US and European firms invest more in their own R&D.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Hong Kong’s Mighty Mini-Island Cheung Chau, the pint-sized powerhouse of an island, punches well above its weight in charm and chill vibes.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
-
But for a city of under 60,000 year-round residents, this place punches well above its weight class.—
Brad Japhe,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When a dog repeatedly wags and whips its tail against hard surfaces, the tip can split open, bruise or break.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Jan. 2026
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Benbrook whips Diamond Hill-Jarvis Benbrook stayed on pace for a playoff berth in District 8-4A as the Lady Bobcats thumped Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis 55-7.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Then, Mitski licks up the blood on the girl’s finger.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026
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After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.—
Megan Sauer
Tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whales. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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