great white shark

noun

: a large mackerel shark (Carcharodon carcharias) of warm seas that is bluish when young but becomes whitish with age and has been known to attack humans

called also white shark

see shark illustration

Examples of great white shark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
An angel in board shorts on a surfboard jumping a great white shark. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2026 Warmer waters may shift great white sharks What does El Niño have to do with great white sharks? — Kristin Scharkey, USA Today, 1 July 2026 Moments before the great white shark bites Carlos Gauna's camera. — Tom Wait, CBS News, 26 May 2026 The special uses groundbreaking science to study how adaptive and intelligent alpha great white sharks are during their hunts. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for great white shark

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of great white shark was in 1774

Rhymes for great white shark

See All Rhymes for great white shark

Browse Nearby Words

great white hope
great white shark
great white trillium
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Great white shark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great%20white%20shark. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

great white shark

noun
: a large and dangerous shark of warm seas that is quick to attack human beings and is bluish when young but becomes whitish with age

Medical Definition

great white shark

noun
: a large shark (Carcharodon carcharias of the family Lamnidae) that is bluish when young but becomes whitish with age and has been known to attack humans

called also white shark

More from Merriam-Webster on great white shark

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about great white shark

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