How to Use humpback in a Sentence
humpback
noun-
At rest, a humpback’s throat is about as wide as a human fist.
—Sarah Keartes, National Geographic, 30 July 2019
-
For the past month, humpbacks have had the spotlight on the sea.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025
-
The biggest whales of all (blue, humpback and so on) are baleen whales.
—The Economist, 14 Dec. 2019
-
And the whales—humpback, fin, and minke—never failed to wow us.
—Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026
-
All humpbacks in their feeding grounds are busy and are trying to get fat.
—Dr. Kirsten Thompson, Time, 16 May 2020
-
Want to catch some waves and get a glimpse of migrating humpback whales?
—Karla Pope, Good Housekeeping, 17 Aug. 2022
-
Expect to see humpbacks more than any other species.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 12 Jan. 2026
-
The best day was about a week ago when 10 humpbacks were spotted on one trip.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025
-
The whale, which appeared to be a humpback, did not appear to be injured.
—CBS News, 1 July 2020
-
There's also wildlife like black bears, moose and, just off the coast, finback, humpback and minke whales.
—Jennifer Billock, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 July 2021
-
Baleen whales, such as humpbacks and blue whales, have natural filters for their food.
—Natasha Daly, National Geographic, 5 Dec. 2019
-
The whales belonged to six baleen species, with humpbacks making up over two-thirds of sightings.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Aug. 2025
-
At the time, he was believed to be the only albino humpback in the world.
—Fox News, 21 June 2019
-
Like dancers on stage, the humpbacks move in synchronization.
—Maya Wei-Haas, Smithsonian, 9 Oct. 2017
-
The humpback was spotted last week when it was seen floating in Knik Arm.
—Marc Lester, Alaska Dispatch News, 27 Sep. 2017
-
The center said overall, seven gray whales and 3 humpback whales have died in the area this year.
—USA TODAY, 2 Sep. 2022
-
Scientists are hoping to try the tag on other whales, such as humpbacks, minke whales and fin whales.
—Amy Woodyatt, CNN, 26 Nov. 2019
-
Calves also want to avoid adult male humpbacks, which may try to separate the calf from its mother to mate.
—National Geographic, 8 June 2018
-
May to October is the prime time to witness humpbacks, blue whales, and minke whales.
—Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
-
Some giants have managed to bounce back, such as humpbacks and West Coast gray whales.
—Brian Switek, Smithsonian, 27 June 2018
-
Next, as if aware of an audience, the humpback rolled on its side and flapped a pectoral fin to splash the water.
—Walter Nicklin, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2022
-
While grey whales are also at risk, humpbacks are most vulnerable.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
-
Thirty feet to starboard, a humpback is pounding out a message on the surface of the ocean.
—Darrell Hartman, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Aug. 2021
-
Gray whales migrate from late fall to early spring, and humpback and blue whales migrate from late spring to early fall.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026
-
Gray whales migrate from late fall to early spring, and humpback and blue whales migrate from late spring to early fall.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 29 Apr. 2026
-
Modern baleen whales include many of the world’s largest cetaceans, such as blue, fin, humpback, right, bowhead, and minke whales.
—National Geographic, 19 Apr. 2018
-
But until recently it was misidentified as a humpback rather than a one-of-a-kind find.
—Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 July 2022
-
Five minutes passed before the fin appeared again right next to our boat, and a humpback tail followed in its sparkling wake.
—Katie Nanton, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
-
In the fall, attention shifts to the humpbacks in the south and back to the orcas around Monterey.
—Alanna Bennett, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Apr. 2026
-
In this case, the song sounds like pattern of loud gunshots, not the sinuous, haunting melodies of the humpback.
—Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 24 June 2019
Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'humpback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Last Updated:
