whaling: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal (historical/marine context), Informal (figurative/tech context)
Quick answer
What does “whaling” mean?
The activity or business of hunting and killing whales.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The activity or business of hunting and killing whales.
A severe beating or thrashing; also, the act of attacking something vigorously (e.g., in computing: 'whaling attack', a type of phishing targeting senior executives).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The historical activity is referenced similarly. The informal verb sense 'to whale on' (beat/thrash) is more common in AmE. The cybersecurity term is international.
Connotations
UK: Strongly associated with 19th-century history, environmental controversy. US: Similar, but the informal verb usage ('whaling on the ball') adds a sports/action connotation.
Frequency
Figurative/informal use is notably less frequent in UK English.
Grammar
How to Use “whaling” in a Sentence
[be] engaged in whaling[go] whaling[ban/prohibit] whaling[condemn] whaling[resume/conduct] whalingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “whaling” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Historically, many nations went whaling in the Southern Ocean.
- The company was accused of illegally whaling in protected waters.
American English
- He was just whaling on that guitar during the solo.
- The senator is whaling on his opponents in the debate.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used as adverb; no standard examples.)
American English
- (Rarely used as adverb; figurative 'whaling' is verbal.)
adjective
British English
- The whaling community in Dundee declined in the 20th century.
- A whaling moratorium has been in place for decades.
American English
- He gave it a whaling good try. (informal)
- The town's whaling history is showcased in the museum.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In historical economics ('the whaling industry'); in modern cybersecurity ('a whaling attack targets CEOs').
Academic
In environmental studies, history, and marine biology debates.
Everyday
Mostly in historical or environmental discussions ('I read about whaling'). Informal AmE: 'He was whaling on the punching bag.'
Technical
Specifically in cybersecurity for targeted phishing attacks on high-profile individuals.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “whaling”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “whaling”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “whaling”
- Using 'whaling' to mean general fishing. Confusing it with 'wailing' (crying). Using the informal verb sense in formal UK contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Commercial whaling is largely banned under an international moratorium, but some countries engage in what they call 'scientific whaling' or object to the ban, conducting limited commercial hunts.
Whaling involves hunting and killing whales, whereas whale watching is a tourist activity focused on observing whales in their natural habitat without harming them.
Yes, informally it can mean beating or hitting something vigorously (AmE). In cybersecurity, a 'whaling attack' is a phishing scam targeting senior executives ('big fish').
In most dialects, the initial 'wh-' in words like 'whale', 'whale' is pronounced /w/, making it homophonous with 'wailing'. Some conservative or regional accents may retain a /hw/ sound.
The activity or business of hunting and killing whales.
Whaling is usually formal (historical/marine context), informal (figurative/tech context) in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a whaling good time (rare, informal)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a WHALE with a harpoon - 'whaling' is the activity that puts the 'ing' (action) onto the whale.
Conceptual Metaphor
AGGRESSION IS WHALING (to attack/beat vigorously); TARGETED HUNTING IS WHALING (cyber attacks on specific 'big fish').
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'whaling attack' in modern terminology?