as in rays
any of several extremely large rays
the manta ray blended in beautifully with the sandy ocean floor
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Recent Examples of manta rays
Residents at the nearby Points of America condo building recall how their ocean views included manta rays, dolphins and unobscured sun rises over the Atlantic.
—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
28 June 2026
Swimming alongside oceanic manta rays and watching dolphins race beside the boat left a lasting impression, but so did the lifestyle itself.
—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
After dark, visitors may even spot manta rays gliding through the water.
—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
14 June 2026
From a biodiversity standpoint, due to the warm waters, Kenya has everything from beautiful nudibranchs (colorful small creatures) to enormous whale sharks and manta rays, with everything in-between.
—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
The Butcher’s Feast is more than enough for a full meal, but there are other treasures, too, like a beef-noodle soup built on a spectacularly rich, slightly offal-ish broth made with marrow bones, with paper-thin slices of A5-Wagyu rib eye swimming in it like manta rays.
—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
24 May 2026
Travelers also visit the nearby Nusa islands for quieter beaches, snorkeling and swimming with manta rays.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
21 May 2026
From July to October, spot whale sharks and manta rays flocking by the hundreds, or save your trip for November through April to enjoy its dry season, with minimal rainfall, abundant sunshine (eight hours of sun per days’ worth), and high visibility for divers.
—
Skyli Alvarez,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 May 2026
In a new study, researchers documented seven cases of remoras, a fish known for suctioning itself onto rays—as well as sharks, dolphins, boats and even divers—plunging into manta rays' cloacal orifice, an opening used for pooping, peeing and mating.
—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
28 June 2026
Swimming alongside oceanic manta rays and watching dolphins race beside the boat left a lasting impression, but so did the lifestyle itself.
—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
After dark, visitors may even spot manta rays gliding through the water.
—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
14 June 2026
From a biodiversity standpoint, due to the warm waters, Kenya has everything from beautiful nudibranchs (colorful small creatures) to enormous whale sharks and manta rays, with everything in-between.
—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
The Butcher’s Feast is more than enough for a full meal, but there are other treasures, too, like a beef-noodle soup built on a spectacularly rich, slightly offal-ish broth made with marrow bones, with paper-thin slices of A5-Wagyu rib eye swimming in it like manta rays.
—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
24 May 2026
Travelers also visit the nearby Nusa islands for quieter beaches, snorkeling and swimming with manta rays.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
21 May 2026
From July to October, spot whale sharks and manta rays flocking by the hundreds, or save your trip for November through April to enjoy its dry season, with minimal rainfall, abundant sunshine (eight hours of sun per days’ worth), and high visibility for divers.
—
Skyli Alvarez,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 May 2026
In a new study, researchers documented seven cases of remoras, a fish known for suctioning itself onto rays—as well as sharks, dolphins, boats and even divers—plunging into manta rays' cloacal orifice, an opening used for pooping, peeing and mating.
—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manta rays
rays
Noun
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About 11,000 light-years away from Earth, the supernova Cassiopeia A’s X-rays (seen above) are rendered in blue and purple, while infrared wavelengths are shown in red and white using data from JWST.
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The content creator said her daughter underwent numerous X-rays, ultrasounds and a biopsy before the hospital team determined the cancer diagnosis.
Cite this Entry
“Manta rays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manta%20rays. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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