1
as in smacking
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
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2
as in hiding
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 pounding
to strike repeatedly
mercilessly whaled the pickpocket for stealing from her purse
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in clubbing
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whaling
Elise Taylor, Vogue, 2 June 2025
Although whaling was almost entirely banned worldwide in 1986, the whales’ numbers have not recovered.
—Nate Iglehart, Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 2025
Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
The bill, which passed in the Senate on Tuesday and now heads to the House, creates a tax exemption for fishers from western Alaskan villages and a separate provision that gives some whaling captains in the state the ability to deduct $50,000 of their expenses, a fivefold increase.
—Rachel Scully, The Hill, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for whaling
Verb
So for those lucky enough to visit the village—yes, the former whaling port isn’t technically a town—here’s a guide on the best restaurants, shops, and places to stay.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 2 June 2025
Although whaling was almost entirely banned worldwide in 1986, the whales’ numbers have not recovered.
—Nate Iglehart, Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 2025
Noun
And since each ship carried three to five whaleboats, the amount of rope needed just to conduct whaling operations on one whaleship was as much as ten thousand feet.
—Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
The bill, which passed in the Senate on Tuesday and now heads to the House, creates a tax exemption for fishers from western Alaskan villages and a separate provision that gives some whaling captains in the state the ability to deduct $50,000 of their expenses, a fivefold increase.
—Rachel Scully, The Hill, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for whaling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whaling
Verb
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In the middle, a president who promised to put both conflicts to bed – and whose talk of a Nobel Peace Prize is smacking up against the reality of the Gaza and Ukraine wars.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
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Under the hot summer sun, players drip sweat after repeatedly smacking into each other during long, physical practices.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But in a world desperate for long-duration storage, Korea’s breakthrough shows that the future of power might be hiding in plain sight.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
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Screenshots from an August 8 TikTok video of an owner finding a mouse hiding in her cat's litter of kittens.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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One end of the spectrum are stress fracture, which are very small, often described as hairline fractures that result from repetitive force and pounding to the bone over time.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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It’s typed with such pounding despair and fury that certain letters of the alphabet actually tear through the paper (this was an old, manual typewriter).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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From left: Andrea Farrington, 39, talks to her camera in her home about her clubbing days.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
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Nowhere have the divisions over Gaza within the music scene been more pronounced than in Berlin, where clubbing and politics have long been intertwined.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Later that night Plumier demonstrates by swiftly slapping the limp green body of a bullfrog hard across his leg.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
9 Sep. 2025
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Tchervinski can be seen in one of videos of the incident slapping a Black man.—
Cameron Knight,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Boaters were the last to be warned to watch the sky as a line of wind-whipping storms pushed out to sea.—
Joe Dwinell,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
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Golden State usually opens games whipping the ball around and making teams uncomfortable with its aggressive style of defense.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That could look like gliding your fingers down them, kissing, licking, or gently biting those areas.—
Essence,
Essence,
11 Sep. 2025
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In the video, the sound of Bambi's stomping, licking, meowing and general everyday life has delighted viewers.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Bin Laden, through the al-Qaida terrorist organization, targeted the United States for nearly a decade before the 9/11 attacks in 2001, utilizing this large and expansive infrastructure.—
Richard Frankel,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
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Polish officials said 19 objects entered its airspace during a large Russian air attack on Ukraine.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whaling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whaling. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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