whales 1 of 2

noun

plural of whale
as in dinosaurs
something that is unusually large and powerful a whale of a pickup truck

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

whales

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of whale
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

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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

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3
as in pounds
to strike repeatedly mercilessly whaled the pickpocket for stealing from her purse

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of whales
Noun
The Georgia Aquarium’s two newest beluga whales are safe and sound in Atlanta after being rescued from a shuttered aquatic park in Canada. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Georgia Aquarium staff say Balor and Zephyr will meet their trainers and, eventually, join the aquarium's existing pod of beluga whales. — Cbs Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026 The latest transfer brought the number of whales remaining at the park down to 11 from its original 30. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026 Four additional beluga whales arrived at the Shedd Aquarium from a closed Canadian marine park yesterday morning in the second wave of an international rescue effort. — Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026 The whales sometimes have circular marks on their skin, which are potentially sucker marks from fighting off giant squid. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2026 These trips also have plenty of opportunities to see whales, orcas, and other sea life, with scenic cruising in the Alexander Archipelago’s Frederick Sound. — Scott Laird, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
Killer whales off New England The aquarium says killer whale sightings are uncommon in New England waters. — Neal Riley, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whales
  1. dinosaurs
  2. hits
  3. hides
  4. pounds
  5. giants
  6. punches
  7. whips
  8. licks
Noun
  • Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor and a pack of rogue dinosaurs won’t be able to catch the web-slinging Spider-Man at the top of box office charts.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The End of Oak Street is about a suburban neighborhood that comes under siege by dinosaurs.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of dinosaurs
Verb
  • Once cold weather hits, consider layering a pair of sheer tights underneath.
    — Aemilia Madden, Glamour, 16 Aug. 2026
  • If a new 'iPhone Fold-gate’ entry hits Wikipedia in the next year, resale prices will fall even further.
    — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of hits
Verb
  • When an airless body, such as an asteroid, occults (or hides) a background star the star's light winks out in an instant, before suddenly reappearing.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The Starlink antenna has been built directly into the vehicle’s rear and occupies a rectangular compartment that hides the dish’s signature design.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of hides
Verb
  • The first murder is a girl slicing into her slumbering mother’s neck with a hacksaw; then her brother pounds his father’s face in with a baseball bat.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Back from a hamstring injury, Teoscar Hernández rejoins a relentless Dodgers offense that pounds 17 hits and three homers in a 9-4 win over the Athletics.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of pounds
Noun
  • Even before the Ukraine war, international shipping giants were skeptical and the route remains controversial.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Women execs were excited about this world-shifting moment in technology, and didn’t want another generation of tech giants to pass them by.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of giants
Verb
  • And if the pizza isn’t enticing enough, Urban Cowboy’s cocktail program punches far above its weight class.
    — Beth Rankin, Denver Post, 27 July 2026
  • As the officer is pinned down, one person repeatedly punches her in the head while another appears to strike her with an unidentified object before a second officer intervenes.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of punches
Verb
  • Instead of floating crosses in, Saka either whips his deliveries low near the six-yard box or works a slightly more central position to cut the ball back with a firmer connection.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • The vessel bends, blocks, and whips the wind into complex micro-currents before the air ever hits the sails.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
Definition of whips
Verb
  • Later, a woman protractedly licks blue ice cream from a cone, her attempts thwarted by ferocious gusts of wind and sand.
    — Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Food stands also debuted that year, with ribs sizzling along with the blues licks.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 9 June 2026
Definition of licks

Browse Nearby Words

whalers
whales
whaling
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Cite this Entry

“Whales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whales. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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