1
as in marine
of or relating to the sea
among pelagic animals the undisputed king is the blue whale, the largest creature currently roaming the face of the earth
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pelagic
For the advanced, channels around the islands work like pelagic highways, attracting more than 3,000 different marine species.
—
Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
But since these pelagic fish spend most of their time at depths of 1,000 feet or more, and are typically only caught by ocean longliners, scientists are still trying to understand their biology and life histories.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2025
Beginners can explore shallow reefs with abundant marine life, while advanced divers can venture to deeper sites with strong currents and the chance to encounter pelagic species.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 June 2025
The scientists noticed a drop in their prey, such as small pelagic fishes in the case of seals and smaller benthic sharks in the case of sevengill sharks.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pelagic
Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
But since these pelagic fish spend most of their time at depths of 1,000 feet or more, and are typically only caught by ocean longliners, scientists are still trying to understand their biology and life histories.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2025
Beginners can explore shallow reefs with abundant marine life, while advanced divers can venture to deeper sites with strong currents and the chance to encounter pelagic species.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 June 2025
The scientists noticed a drop in their prey, such as small pelagic fishes in the case of seals and smaller benthic sharks in the case of sevengill sharks.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pelagic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pelagic
Adjective
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Critics said the move could harm marine life and also doom a rare whale species.—
Megan Janetsky,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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Critics said the move by the government's Endangered Species Committee could doom a rare whale species and harm other marine life.—
MATTHEW BROWN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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After watching the catch of the day come in, head to the neighboring Umi no Ichi food and shopping hall to grab a bowl of sea-to-table kaisendon—slices of sashimi, jewel-like roe, and other oceanic delights, served atop a bed of rice.—
Zoe Baillargeon,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Moon is exceptionally large compared with Earth for a natural satellite, and at only 30 Earth-diameters away from the Earth, its gravity is significant enough to be the dominant factor in determining the oceanic tides that our planet experiences.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The effect on deep-sea organisms was even more dire.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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In human brains and lungs; in breast milk and semen; in alpine snow and deep-sea sediment; in corn plants and beer.—
Susanne Rust
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pelagic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pelagic. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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