noun Uncommon

whaling

WAY-lihng

Whaling (noun) means the industry or practice of hunting whales, typically for oil, meat, or blubber. Example: “Commercial whaling is now banned in most of the world.”

noun

The industry or practice of hunting whales, typically for oil, meat, or blubber.

"Commercial whaling is now banned in most of the world."

A cyberattack that specifically targets a high-value individual such as a company executive.

"The CFO nearly transferred the funds before recognising the email as a whaling attempt."

How to use whaling

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHunting whales, or a targeted scam email aimed at a top executive.

Common pairings

commercial whaling whaling ban whaling attack

Word forms

whalings plural

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Commercial _____ is now banned in most of the world.

Rhymes for whaling

healing sealing dealing dialing scaling stealing exhaling inhaling pedaling appealing revealing squealing

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Frequently asked questions

What does “whaling” mean?

The word “whaling” means the industry or practice of hunting whales, typically for oil, meat, or blubber. In plain terms, hunting whales, or a targeted scam email aimed at a top executive.

How do you pronounce “whaling”?

“Whaling” is pronounced WAY-lihng (/ˈweɪlɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “whaling” in a sentence?

Here is “whaling” used in a sentence: “Commercial whaling is now banned in most of the world.”

What part of speech is “whaling”?

“Whaling” is a noun.

Is “whaling” a common word?

“Whaling” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “whaling” have?

“Whaling” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the industry or practice of hunting whales, typically for oil, meat, or blubber.