as in to stab
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
she deftly harpooned a shrimp with her skewer and held it over the fire
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Recent Examples of harpoon
Bymitch Leslie, science.org, 20 Dec. 2024
But one bad harpoon season means he’s got to double down on those charters.
—EW.com, 18 Dec. 2024
Companies such as Airbus have worked on nets and harpoons that can wrap around or impale objects in space and bring them back down through the atmosphere.
—Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2024
Wire mesh would then unfold along the harpoon cables, creating a huge parabolic dish.
—Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for harpoon
Noun
Scientists have also drawn on historical evidence—the harpoon tips embedded in the animals’ blubber.
—Bymitch Leslie, science.org, 20 Dec. 2024
But one bad harpoon season means he’s got to double down on those charters.
—EW.com, 18 Dec. 2024
Companies such as Airbus have worked on nets and harpoons that can wrap around or impale objects in space and bring them back down through the atmosphere.
—Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2024
Wire mesh would then unfold along the harpoon cables, creating a huge parabolic dish.
—Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for harpoon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harpoon
Verb
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Police said evidence found at the scene indicated the man was stabbed near a bus stop in the 100 block of 11th Street.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2025
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Austin’s father, Jeff Metcalf, said he was stabbed in the heart and died in his twin brother’s arms.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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During those visits, Zelensky wore a simple sweatshirt—also embroidered with the trident.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Mar. 2025
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An attacking trident considered to be the best in world football - of left and right wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal plus striker Lewandowski - is broken up.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Sprinkle salt and pepper on and toss until the spears are lightly coated in oil. Spread them out in a single layer on the pan. Bake just until the base of a stalk is easily pierced.—
Gretchen McKay,
Boston Herald,
2 Apr. 2025
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Bake just until the base of a stalk is easily pierced.—
Tribune News Service,
Denver Post,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Some of the obsidian artifacts, including arrowheads and spear tips, traveled nearly 750 miles from their source, according to Allan.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2025
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The Sentinelese hunt in the rainforest and fish in the coastal waters using spears, bows and arrows, as well as homemade narrow outrigger canoes, according to Survival International.—
Esha Mitra,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In the crash, something punctured Shiffrin’s side and caused severe trauma to her oblique muscles.—
Pat Graham,
The Denver Post,
24 Mar. 2025
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At the apex of the Western Conference standings sits the imposing Jets, who have run roughshod over all comers throughout the season and punctured the Canucks convincingly with a 6-1 victory in their only meeting of the year so far.—
Thomas Drance,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The retainer then struck her down with a halberd, set the mansion ablaze, and committed seppuku.—
Nicholas Liu,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2024
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Also, his halberd starts fritzing on the floor before fading out of existence, a reminder that this is all virtual reality—or rather, VR within VR, the metatextual framing of Ubisoft’s latest Assassin’s Creed game.—
WIRED,
WIRED,
16 Nov. 2023
Verb
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Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to see Canada become the US’ 51st state, jabbed at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and threatened massive tariffs that would have a devastating effect on Canada’s economy.—
Homero De la Fuente,
CNN,
20 Feb. 2025
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The video shows narwhals using their tusks to jab and stun the fish, which could indicate how narwhals interact with their prey.—
Monica Cull,
Discover Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Rhodes and Reigns had an epic fight, with Reigns sticking in it with the help of the Bloodline and Rhodes surviving purely based on his own toughness.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Apr. 2025
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Keep Light Bulbs From Sticking Outdoor light bulbs can have a knack for sticking in the socket after long periods of time, leaving you with the task of trying to unscrew a stubborn bulb without breaking the glass.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harpoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harpoon. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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