whale 1 of 2

noun

ˈ(h)wāl How to pronounce whale (audio)
Definition of whalenext
as in dinosaur
something that is unusually large and powerful a whale of a pickup truck

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

whale

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to hit
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 to hide
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 to lick
to strike repeatedly mercilessly whaled the pickpocket for stealing from her purse

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 whale
Noun
The makeshift bomb kills the already dying whale, setting in motion the titular ecological phenomenon of a whalefall. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026 Naturally, much of the film’s action occurs inside the whale’s mouth and various stomachs, all of which were constructed in a practical set for the movie. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026 Across most of the animal kingdom bigger animals outlive smaller ones, part of why whales tend to outlast rodents. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 17 Oct. 2026 All the colors depicted inside the whale were based on real-life anatomy. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for whale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whale
  1. dinosaur
  2. hit
  3. hide
  4. lick
  5. giant
  6. punch
  7. whip
  8. pound
Noun
  • An ancient family The mass extinction that caused the dinosaurs’ demise may have created an environment for the king-size fungus to evolve and thrive, according to the study.
    — Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The boy's parents released their own statement remembering their son as strong and kind with a love for rainbows and unicorns along with sharks and dinosaurs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of dinosaur
Verb
  • Social media giant Meta was hit with a class action lawsuit in Australia on behalf of children and teenagers who allegedly suffered harm over the addictive design features and exposure to harmful content on its platforms Facebook and Instagram.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • For the past few years, Baba Stiltz has been hitting the open road with nothing but a guitar, a tape deck, and a few pedals.
    — Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of hit
Verb
  • His inclusion changes the historical record — and adds a dimension to the story of Jewish contributions to the game that has long been hiding in plain sight.
    — Zachary Kranc, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The forthcoming exercise best examines where the Chiefs sit, at 5-1 with the most difficult part of their schedule waiting — because the best teams are not just about maximizing their strengths but hiding their flaws.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • Occupying a particularly picturesque and secluded stretch of headland, where Aleppo pines drape rocky coves and the cerulean Mediterranean waves lick the similarly shaded horizon, the resort is the hospitality group’s first foray into the Balearics.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Some wagged their tails as people approached, licked their hands and even liked to be petted.
    — Alida de Flamingh, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • Tech giants have told us all about how AI will take control away from society, steal our jobs, allow bad actors to design dangerous pathogens or cause a catastrophic cyberattack or destroy our financial systems.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Stronger-than-expected revenue from SpaceX's AI business is making PhillipCapital — once a bear on the company — bullish about the Elon Musk giant's stock.
    — Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of giant
Verb
  • The 25-year-old who was punched refused medical attention at the scene.
    — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The Rays punched their ticket to baseball’s biggest stage with a 7-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, taking the best-of-seven series four games to two.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of punch
Verb
  • Fire crews scrambled late Saturday as fierce winds whipped flames beyond Canadian Forces Base Wainwright and into the surrounding rural area.
    — Rob Gillies, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Fire crews scrambled late into the night as fierce winds whipped flames beyond Canadian Forces Base Wainwright and into the surrounding rural area.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of whip
Verb
  • A little girl pounding her fists and screaming; none of the visitors nor the staff were allowed to hold her to provide comfort.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The Pistons pounded the inside and scored 24 second-chance points.
    — Dan Gelston, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of pound

Browse Nearby Words

whacks
whale
whaleboat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whale. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on whale

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about whale

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All