Illustration of humpback whale
humpback whale
noun
: a large baleen whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) that is black above and white below and has very long flippers and fleshy tubercles along the snout
Examples of humpback whale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Guests spend their time salmon fishing, swimming in the lake, watching humpback whales, orcas, and grizzlies in their natural habitat, as well as engaging in cultural activities guided by Homalco community members.
—
Katie Nanton, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
California's commercial Dungeness crab season is set to open on January 5 with limits on the number of commercial traps because of the risk of humpback whale entanglements, authorities said Friday.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
Conservation using drones The researchers also identified herpesviruses present in humpback whale populations across Norway, Iceland, and Cape Verde.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
The artwork on the catamaran’s hull depicts a pod of humpback whales swimming alongside bottlenose dolphins, marine mammals regularly seen off Orange County’s coast.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for humpback whale
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.
Katie Nanton, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
California's commercial Dungeness crab season is set to open on January 5 with limits on the number of commercial traps because of the risk of humpback whale entanglements, authorities said Friday.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
Conservation using drones The researchers also identified herpesviruses present in humpback whale populations across Norway, Iceland, and Cape Verde.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
The artwork on the catamaran’s hull depicts a pod of humpback whales swimming alongside bottlenose dolphins, marine mammals regularly seen off Orange County’s coast.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for humpback whale
Cite this Entry
“Humpback whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humpback%20whale. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share