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

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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

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3
as in to lick
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 whale
Noun
Eventually, the whale breaches the surface and Jay nearly manages to break free by climbing out of its open mouth. — Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, the natural beauty of the Golden State is offset by the graphic body horror of the whale’s innards, built on practical sets by production designer Ramsey Avery and lit by bioluminescence. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 The whale ultimately serves as a stand-in for Mitt and the all-consuming weight of his legacy and expectations on Jay. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026 Featured Presentations Whalefall Men would rather be swallowed by a whale than go to therapy, according to this movie. — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 16 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
  • According to the researchers, the dinosaur suffered a broken rib during its lifetime.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • While dinosaurs roamed the earth, giant monsters roamed the sea.
    — October 16, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of dinosaur
Verb
  • Prosecutors said Wilcox was hit by gunfire, fell to the ground and fired three more gunshots at the officers.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The different program sales operations of Skydance hit the Côte d’Azur under their pre-existing Paramount and WB brands.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hit
Verb
  • In an indirect prompt injection, an attacker hides instructions in content an AI agent will come across while doing a task—a web page or a forum post, for instance—hoping to hijack the agent.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Many senior Democrats blamed her, along with the rest of the family and his close aides, for hiding his condition.
    — Azadeh Moaveni, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • Popo would lick her cone ever so gracefully, never dripping or messing up the lining of her magenta lipstick.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Teams have to be licking their chops after seeing what Tampa Bay did to Dallas last Thursday night, especially considering the defense (or lack thereof) that the Cowboys have shown through five weeks.
    — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • No word on if there may be a deal for the duo to land over at the streaming giant as the company prepares for a few big theatrical releases ahead.
    — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In response, the streaming giant has sought to diversify its content in recent years, expanding into live sports, documentaries and video games in order to compete for share of consumer attention.
    — Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of giant
Verb
  • Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson’s suspension for punching a Buffalo Bills player after a game has been reduced from two games to one, an NFL spokesman said Wednesday.
    — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • For Lee, the true measure of a man is how many other men, and women, want to punch his lights out.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of punch
Verb
  • Now imagine whipping your phone out after work, telling the world about it, and landing a brand deal worth $10K or more.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Now imagine the same hot and dry conditions, but with the Santa Anas whipping at 40 miles an hour.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of whip
Verb
  • When Louise would remember the show decades later, the audience was always so electric that the room exploded into stamping feet and pounding fists.
    — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Ukraine briefly halted such attacks, but has since resumed them — while Russia never stopped pounding Ukraine’s energy plants and cities.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of pound

Browse Nearby Words

whacks
whale
whaleboat
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Cite this Entry

“Whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whale. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on whale

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about whale

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