: a barbed spear or javelin used especially in hunting large fish or whales
harpoon
transitive verb
harpooner
noun
Examples of harpoon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Technologies are also being developed to actively remove existing large debris from orbit using innovative solutions like capture nets and harpoons.
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David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for harpoon
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David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for harpoon
Cite this Entry
“Harpoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harpoon. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
harpoon
noun
har·poon
här-ˈpün 
: a medical instrument with a barbed head used for removing bits of living tissue for examination
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