harpoon
noun
a barbed, spearlike missile attached to a rope, and thrown by hand or shot from a gun, used for killing and capturing whales and large fish.
harpoon-like
-
a word derived from
harpoon.
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.
When touched, these cells fire toxic harpoon-like tubes designed to paralyse prey, such as plankton and small fish.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
“They’re these harpoon-like things with all these recurved barbs,” Trager said, adding that’s it’s easy to see why the spines are tough to pull out.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2022
Some mantis shrimp spear their victims with harpoon-like spines on the ends of their limbs up to 16 m.p.h.
From New York Times ● Oct. 31, 2016
He pierces its dorsal fin with the tip of a harpoon-like pole, the first step in fastening a tag.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 15, 2015
And their assegais are each made with seven or eight harpoon-like prongs, and the plant they use is very venomous.
From The Chronicle of the Discovery and Conquest of Guinea Vol. II by Gomes Eannes de Zurara
