Synonyms

kraken

American

[krah-kuhn] / ˈkrɑ kən /

noun

(often initial capital letter)

a legendary sea monster causing large whirlpools off the coast of Norway.

kraken British

/ ˈkrɑːkən /

noun

a legendary sea monster of gigantic size believed to dwell off the coast of Norway

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

Why is kraken trending? On July 23, 2020, searches for kraken increased 4,782% compared to the previous week after the National Hockey League (NHL) announced its newest team in Seattle, Washington, will be known as the Kraken.

Etymology

Origin of kraken

From Norwegian

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The team - led by Christine Close, a sculptor based in France - carved a kraken eating a boat as part of the myths and legends theme set by the competition organisers.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

First we find the kraken, then we slay the kraken, then we practice safety in handling seafood, then we learn about parasites and the cooking methods that kill them, then we eat.

From New York Times • Apr. 11, 2024

The luminous undersea kraken kingdom is also quite a sight.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2023

“Like, I, too, am a kraken and just no one knows.”

From Seattle Times • Jun. 29, 2023

Behind the dais a kraken and grey leviathan were locked in battle beneath the painted waves.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023