aerostat
noun
aero·stat
ˈer-ō-ˌstat 
: a lighter-than-air aircraft (such as a balloon or blimp) compare aerodyne
Examples of aerostat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The future, chock-full of super-stealth warplanes, blinding-fast missiles and network-crippling hacks, will also feature aerostats — specialty blimps, for the uninitiated.
—
Colin Demarest, Axios, 9 Apr. 2025
China’s use of aerostats — which include free-floating balloons like the one found hovering over the United States, steerable balloons or airships, and tethered balloons — to observe its own people offers clues to the scope and ambition of a program shrouded in secrecy.
—Lily Kuo, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2023
Flying continuously inside the Earth’s atmosphere requires lift though: either the buoyancy of a lighter-than-air craft such as a balloon, airship or aerostat provided by hot air or low-density gas, or lift from airflow generated by a heavier than air craft.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
The signal from an aerostat -- used as a low altitude platform station (LAPS) -- is sufficient for tasks like internet browsing and email, says World Mobile.
—Tom Page, CNN, 12 Jan. 2022
An aerostat is a giant surveillance balloon.
—Annie Jacobsen, Wired, 20 Jan. 2021
Each aerostat, floating up to 600 meters above the ground, will provide coverage equal to 30 traditional cell towers.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2018
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Colin Demarest, Axios, 9 Apr. 2025
China’s use of aerostats — which include free-floating balloons like the one found hovering over the United States, steerable balloons or airships, and tethered balloons — to observe its own people offers clues to the scope and ambition of a program shrouded in secrecy.
—Lily Kuo, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2023
Flying continuously inside the Earth’s atmosphere requires lift though: either the buoyancy of a lighter-than-air craft such as a balloon, airship or aerostat provided by hot air or low-density gas, or lift from airflow generated by a heavier than air craft.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
The signal from an aerostat -- used as a low altitude platform station (LAPS) -- is sufficient for tasks like internet browsing and email, says World Mobile.
—Tom Page, CNN, 12 Jan. 2022
An aerostat is a giant surveillance balloon.
—Annie Jacobsen, Wired, 20 Jan. 2021
Each aerostat, floating up to 600 meters above the ground, will provide coverage equal to 30 traditional cell towers.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Aerostat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aerostat. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share