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
For now, the skeleton of a female humpback whale is laid out on the floor of the lighthouse, and three canoes are propped up in one wing of the old building.
—
John Bartlett, NPR, 12 Jan. 2025
In late November, a humpback whale was seen swimming in the estuary for the first time, surprising experts.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2025
Most male humpback whales in a Pacific Ocean population do not have offspring — and bad singing might be to blame, new research reveals.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2025
According to tourist whale-watching websites in New York, humpback whales are typically visible between May and December.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
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.
John Bartlett, NPR, 12 Jan. 2025
In late November, a humpback whale was seen swimming in the estuary for the first time, surprising experts.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2025
Most male humpback whales in a Pacific Ocean population do not have offspring — and bad singing might be to blame, new research reveals.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2025
According to tourist whale-watching websites in New York, humpback whales are typically visible between May and December.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for humpback whale
Dictionary Entries Near humpback whale
Cite this Entry
“Humpback whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humpback%20whale. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share