whaler

noun

whal·​er ˈ(h)wā-lər How to pronounce whaler (audio)
Synonyms of whalernext
1
: a person or ship engaged in whale fishing
2
: whaleboat sense 2

Examples of whaler in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Talkhouse, along with a rugged cast of native whalers (for whom Brewster-walker has curated her own traveling exhibit) are also featured. — Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026 Step aboard the Grampus, a whaleship gone adrift after a storm, rations running out and a violent mutiny, and learn what happened to its ghost whalers. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026 Then from 1830 to 1850, rapacious British whalers hunted them nearly to extinction here in Recherche, where the pregnant mothers would come to give birth. — Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026 Shackleton purchased a wooden Norwegian whaler, Foca I, which his wife Emily renamed Quest. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for whaler

Word History

First Known Use

1684, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of whaler was in 1684

Rhymes for whaler

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Browse Nearby Words

whale oil
whaler
whalery
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Cite this Entry

“Whaler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whaler. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

whaler

noun
whal·​er ˈhwā-lər How to pronounce whaler (audio)
ˈwā-
: a person or ship that hunts for whales

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