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shark

shark

664 1.0
A large sea fish with sharp teeth that eats other animals
  • noun
  • /ʃɑrk/
translation icon : tiburón
  • In documentaries, the great white shark is often shown hunting seals with incredible speed.
  • tiger shark
  • catch sharks
  • basking shark

Also, I am very afraid of sharks for that reason, I'm out.

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Examples

  • Researchers tagged a shark to study its migration patterns across the ocean.

  • From what distance can sharks smell blood?

  • Today, nearly 40 percent of shark species are threatened with extinction.

    Academic text (2011)
  • And one of my first shark encounters was in the Bahamas.

  • Without warning, a huge head, the head of a hammerhead shark, appears at the stern.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Tiger, bull, and dusky sharks may be responsible for most of the attacks.

    Academic text (1992)
  • While diving near the coral reef, I saw a large shark swim gracefully through the water.

Synonyms

white shark
vsshark
12 3.9

A very large powerful shark with sharp teeth that sometimes attacks people

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
11 2.9

A very large sea fish with a white belly that sometimes attacks people

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
bull shark
vsshark
  • Specialized
7 6.7

A large aggressive shark that lives in warm shallow water near coasts and in rivers

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
whale shark
vsshark
6 3.5

A very large fish with white spots that moves slowly and eats tiny sea animals and plants

is a large predatory ocean fish rather than a slow plankton-feeder
tiger shark
vsshark
5 3.9

A large dangerous shark with dark stripes that lives in warm seas

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
blue shark
vsshark
4 4.5

A slim, fast shark with a blue back and white belly that lives in the open ocean

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
nurse shark
vsshark
2 6.3

A slow shark that lives on warm shallow sea floors and has small whiskers near its mouth

is the active large predatory ocean fish rather than a sluggish bottom-dweller
lemon shark
vsshark
  • US
2 5.6

A large yellowish-brown shark that lives in shallow water near the coast and often swims in groups

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
2 4.1

A large shark with a head shaped like a hammer that lives in warm seas

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one defined by head shape
1 4.9

A large shark that sometimes attacks and eats people

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
sand tiger
vsshark
  • US
1 8.2

A large shark with sharp jagged teeth that lives in shallow water near the coast

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
dogfish
vsshark
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A small shark with a thin body and sharp spines on its fins

is the larger ocean predator rather than a small coastal species
sand shark
vsshark
  • US
1 6.7

A shark with sharp jagged teeth that lives in shallow water near the coast

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
sandbar shark
vsshark
  • Specialized
1 7.4

A large gray fish with sharp teeth that lives near shallow sandy coasts

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
dusky shark
vsshark
1 8.2

A large slender blue-grey shark that lives in warm coastal waters worldwide

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
thresher shark
vsshark
1 6.8

A large shark from warm seas with a long tail used to stun small fish

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
basking shark
vsshark
1 5.1

Large harmless shark that swims near the sea surface with its mouth open to eat tiny plants and animals

is a large predatory ocean fish rather than a harmless plankton-feeder

A large shark with white tips on its fins that lives in warm open oceans and can attack people

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
8.0

A large deep water fish with a white tip on its back fin that can be dangerous to people

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
whitetip shark
vsshark
  • US
7.7

A shark with white tips on its fins that lives in deep warm seas and can be dangerous

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
6.0

A large shark with a blue back and white belly that lives in the open sea and can be dangerous

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
mackerel shark
vsshark
  • Specialized
7.9

A large, fast shark with a pointed snout that swims and hunts in open ocean

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
Alopius vulpinus
vsshark
  • Specialized
9.9

A large ocean shark with a long whiplike tail used to hunt small fish

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
fox shark
vsshark
  • Specialized
8.7

A large shark in warm seas with a long whiplike tail used to herd and stun small fish

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
requiem shark
vsshark
  • Specialized
9.1

A medium to large sea shark like the tiger or bull shark that can be dangerous to people

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than a taxonomic family term
reef whitetip shark
vsshark
  • Specialized
7.1

A shark with white tips on its fins that lives near coral reefs

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
cow shark
vsshark
8.1

A large shark with a broad head that has more than five gill slits

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one named species
soupfin shark
vsshark
  • Specialized
9.3

A shark from the Pacific Ocean often caught for its fins and liver

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than one noted mainly for products
carpet shark
vsshark
  • Specialized
9.2

A shark that lives on the ocean floor and hides by looking like sand or rocks

is the active large predatory ocean fish rather than a camouflaged bottom-dweller
Orectolobus barbatus
vsshark
  • Australian
9.9

A shark with a flat body, spotted skin and tassel-like flaps around its mouth

is the general large predatory ocean fish rather than a distinctly tasseled bottom form
angel shark
vsshark
  • Specialized
6.2

A shark with a broad flat body and winglike fins that hides on sandy sea floor

is the general streamlined predatory ocean fish rather than a raylike flattened form
cat shark
vsshark
  • Specialized
6.9

A small shark that lives on the sea floor and has eyes like a cat

is the larger open-water predator rather than a small slope-dweller
blacktip shark
vsshark
5.5

A small shark with black tips on its fins that lives in shallow water

is the larger open-ocean predator rather than a small shallow-water form
bonnet shark
vsshark
  • Specialized
8.1

A small harmless hammerhead shark that lives in shallow bays and river mouths

is the larger predatory ocean fish rather than a small harmless bay species
Rhincodon typus
vsshark
  • Specialized
9.9

A very large, slow shark with spots that eats tiny sea animals near the sea surface

is a large predatory ocean fish rather than a slow plankton-feeder

Idioms

4 9.4

To start to get worse after a silly or big change, for example in a TV show

A person who is very calm and not easily upset, even in a dangerous situation

Compounds

21 4.8

A person who gives people money and charges very high illegal fees

12 3.9

A very large powerful shark with sharp teeth that sometimes attacks people

A very large sea fish with a white belly that sometimes attacks people

bull shark
  • Specialized
7 6.7

A large aggressive shark that lives in warm shallow water near coasts and in rivers

6 3.5

A very large fish with white spots that moves slowly and eats tiny sea animals and plants

5 3.9

A large dangerous shark with dark stripes that lives in warm seas

4 4.5

A slim, fast shark with a blue back and white belly that lives in the open ocean

card shark
  • Informal
3 8.2

A person who is very good at playing cards and cheats to win

3 2.9

A week of TV programs about sharks, usually with new documentaries and specials

2 6.3

A slow shark that lives on warm shallow sea floors and has small whiskers near its mouth

2 5.6

A large yellowish-brown shark that lives in shallow water near the coast and often swims in groups

A large shark with a head shaped like a hammer that lives in warm seas

A large shark that sometimes attacks and eats people

1 6.7

A large, fast sea fish with a long sharp nose that often jumps when hunting

Large harmless shark that swims near the sea surface with its mouth open to eat tiny plants and animals

1 8.2

A large slender blue-grey shark that lives in warm coastal waters worldwide

1 9.1

A fish that lives in muddy water with an unusual look

real shark
  • Informal
1 7.8

A person who pushes hard to get the best business deals

1 6.7

A shark with sharp jagged teeth that lives in shallow water near the coast

sandbar shark
  • Specialized
1 7.4

A large gray fish with sharp teeth that lives near shallow sandy coasts

A large shark from warm seas with a long tail used to stun small fish

A small shark with black tips on its fins that lives in shallow water

bonnet shark
  • Specialized
8.1

A small harmless hammerhead shark that lives in shallow bays and river mouths

bonito shark
  • Australian
7.2

A blue-grey shark from the southwest Pacific that people catch for food and sport

carpet shark
  • Specialized
9.2

A shark that lives on the ocean floor and hides by looking like sand or rocks

cat shark
  • Specialized
6.9

A small shark that lives on the sea floor and has eyes like a cat

8.1

A large shark with a broad head that has more than five gill slits

angel shark
  • Specialized
6.2

A shark with a broad flat body and winglike fins that hides on sandy sea floor

fox shark
  • Specialized
8.7

A large shark in warm seas with a long whiplike tail used to herd and stun small fish

mackerel shark
  • Specialized
7.9

A large, fast shark with a pointed snout that swims and hunts in open ocean

A large shark with a blue back and white belly that lives in the open sea and can be dangerous

A large shark with white tips on its fins that lives in warm open oceans and can attack people

reef whitetip shark
  • Specialized
7.1

A shark with white tips on its fins that lives near coral reefs

requiem shark
  • Specialized
9.1

A medium to large sea shark like the tiger or bull shark that can be dangerous to people

shark-liver oil
  • Specialized
7.5

An oil made from shark livers that people use as a health supplement and to soften leather

shark bait
  • Offensive
8.9

A person who others use or treat badly in a competitive place

shark oil
  • Archaic
7.5

A yellow or brown fat from shark livers used to treat leather and give vitamin A

7.6

A step a company takes to stop another company from taking it over

A large shark with six gill slits that lives in warm seas

slough shark
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who takes advantage of people who are new to a place

A small thin shark near European coasts that eats crabs, also called smooth dogfish

soupfin shark
  • Specialized
9.3

A shark from the Pacific Ocean often caught for its fins and liver

A shark with white tips on its fins that lives in deep warm seas and can be dangerous

A large deep water fish with a white tip on its back fin that can be dangerous to people

How Big

whale
809 1.0
shark
664 1.0
tuna
213 1.0
mackerel
9 3.3
anchovy
11 2.8

Surface Forms

shark singular
sharks plural

Etymology

Shark names the large sea predator and comes from old European words for this dangerous fish; think of its strong mouth that seems to 'snatch' prey. So the animal is called a shark because it hunts and bites other sea creatures.