Illustration of right whale
right whale
noun
: any of several large baleen whales (family Balaenidae and especially genus Eubalaena) that lack a dorsal fin and have very long baleen plates, an extremely large head with a V-shaped blowhole, a smooth throat, short, broad, rounded flippers, and whitish protuberances of thickened skin about the head
Examples of right whale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Similar patterns of paternity have been documented in other humpback populations in the Pacific as well as in other baleen whale species, including North Atlantic right whales.
—
Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2025
Longevity of right whales The Southern right whale has a median lifespan of 73.4 years, and 10% live beyond 131.8 years.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2025
Since 1980, the New England Aquarium staff said, scientists have recorded over 1,800 entanglement events, which include over 85 percent of the right whale population.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 19 Dec. 2024
Background: New England Aquarium researchers maintain the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog, which has documented over 1,800 entanglement events since 1980, affecting more than 85% of the right whale population.
—Mike Deehan, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for right 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.
Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2025
Longevity of right whales The Southern right whale has a median lifespan of 73.4 years, and 10% live beyond 131.8 years.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2025
Since 1980, the New England Aquarium staff said, scientists have recorded over 1,800 entanglement events, which include over 85 percent of the right whale population.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 19 Dec. 2024
Background: New England Aquarium researchers maintain the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog, which has documented over 1,800 entanglement events since 1980, affecting more than 85% of the right whale population.
—Mike Deehan, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for right whale
Dictionary Entries Near right whale
Cite this Entry
“Right whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/right%20whale. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share