para·chute
ˈper-ə-ˌshüt 
ˈpa-rə-
1
: a device for slowing the descent of a person or object through the air that consists of a fabric canopy beneath which the person or object is suspended
2
: patagium
3
: a device or structure suggestive of a parachute in form, use, or operation
parachuted; parachuting
: to convey by means of a parachute
: to descend by means of a parachute
Examples of parachute in a Sentence
Noun
The pilot was wearing a parachute.
The supplies were dropped by parachute.
Verb
The soldiers parachuted in and quickly hid their gear.
New troops parachuted into enemy territory.
We will parachute supplies in after you arrive.
New troops were parachuted into enemy territory.
Recent Examples on the Web
Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2024
Beaver problem prompted innovation The beaver parachute program came shortly after a turning point in the rodents’ history.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 15 Apr. 2024
Recently, elementary students were outside during recess when the sight of billowing parachutes in the sky startled them.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 11 Apr. 2024
Witnesses told reporters that one crate that landed in Gaza in early March killed five people sheltering in a house after its parachute failed to open.
—Manuel Canales, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
The first safety concern had to do with the load capacity of Starliner’s three parachutes, which are designed to safely land the crew vehicle.
—Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 23 Mar. 2024
And this past weekend, five Gazans were struck and killed by a package with a parachute that failed to open.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024
While one airman was able to escape with a parachute, Corson and seven other crew members stayed on board the aircraft and died in the crash.
—Aaron Valdez, The Enquirer, 8 Feb. 2024
As these thresholds near, the craft becomes agitated, with dinging alarms and colored alerts: yellow, or land soon; red, or land immediately; and purple, or pull the red knob to activate the whole-craft parachute.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Christopher Kuo, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
As the Kolkata sought the surrender of the pirates, the commandos parachuted in after a 10-hour flight from India, the air force said on X. Rafts were also dropped into the ocean from the large transport for marines to reach the Ruen.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024
In the early days of the Russian invasion, in February 2022, there were rumors of a plan to parachute Russian special forces into the monastery grounds.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Apollo used towering rockets and small capsules — destined to be flown just once — that would plunge back home from space and parachute to an ocean landing.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Biden’s comments came after a U.S. official confirmed to NBC News that his administration was considering airdropping aid into Gaza, following the lead of Jordan, which has already parachuted supplies into the enclave.
—Raf Sanchez, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024
Normally, this allows the balloon to float away, and the scientific equipment to parachute back to the ground, where it can be recovered.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 25 Mar. 2024
Video surfaced on social media this week showing someone appearing to parachute off the skyscrapers.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 15 Feb. 2024
The next step will be to install a better fence at the project, which is drawing significant police resources and where city leaders fear someone will die, especially after social media videos showed people BASE jumping — parachuting from the towers.
—John Antczak, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2024
Noun
Amir Cohen/Reuters Humanitarian aid parachutes toward the Gaza Strip, as seen from Israel, April 10, 2024.
—Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2024
Beaver problem prompted innovation The beaver parachute program came shortly after a turning point in the rodents’ history.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 15 Apr. 2024
Recently, elementary students were outside during recess when the sight of billowing parachutes in the sky startled them.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 11 Apr. 2024
Witnesses told reporters that one crate that landed in Gaza in early March killed five people sheltering in a house after its parachute failed to open.
—Manuel Canales, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
The first safety concern had to do with the load capacity of Starliner’s three parachutes, which are designed to safely land the crew vehicle.
—Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 23 Mar. 2024
And this past weekend, five Gazans were struck and killed by a package with a parachute that failed to open.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024
While one airman was able to escape with a parachute, Corson and seven other crew members stayed on board the aircraft and died in the crash.
—Aaron Valdez, The Enquirer, 8 Feb. 2024
As these thresholds near, the craft becomes agitated, with dinging alarms and colored alerts: yellow, or land soon; red, or land immediately; and purple, or pull the red knob to activate the whole-craft parachute.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Verb
Movie studios that parachute into a state to film often leave with little corporate income tax liability, meaning that a credit for state taxes does them little good.
—Christopher Kuo, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
As the Kolkata sought the surrender of the pirates, the commandos parachuted in after a 10-hour flight from India, the air force said on X. Rafts were also dropped into the ocean from the large transport for marines to reach the Ruen.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024
In the early days of the Russian invasion, in February 2022, there were rumors of a plan to parachute Russian special forces into the monastery grounds.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Apollo used towering rockets and small capsules — destined to be flown just once — that would plunge back home from space and parachute to an ocean landing.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Biden’s comments came after a U.S. official confirmed to NBC News that his administration was considering airdropping aid into Gaza, following the lead of Jordan, which has already parachuted supplies into the enclave.
—Raf Sanchez, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024
Normally, this allows the balloon to float away, and the scientific equipment to parachute back to the ground, where it can be recovered.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 25 Mar. 2024
Video surfaced on social media this week showing someone appearing to parachute off the skyscrapers.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 15 Feb. 2024
The next step will be to install a better fence at the project, which is drawing significant police resources and where city leaders fear someone will die, especially after social media videos showed people BASE jumping — parachuting from the towers.
—John Antczak, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'parachute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near parachute
Cite this Entry
“Parachute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parachute. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
parachute
1 of 2 noun
para·chute
ˈpar-ə-ˌshüt
1
: a folding umbrella-shaped device of light fabric used especially for making a safe jump from an aircraft
2
: something (as the bunch of hairs on a dandelion seed) that is like a parachute in form, use, or operation
parachute
2 of 2 verb
parachuted; parachuting
: to transport or come down by means of a parachute
parachutist
noun
-ˌshüt-əst
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