airborne

adjective

air·​borne ˈer-ˌbȯrn 

1

: done or being in the air : being off the ground: such as

a

: carried through the air (as by an aircraft)

b

: supported especially by aerodynamic forces or propelled through the air by force

a plane becoming airborne

c

: transported or carried by the air

airborne allergens

2

: trained for deployment by air and especially by parachute

airborne troops

Examples of airborne in a Sentence

Once the plane was airborne I loosened my seat belt.

Thousands of airborne troops parachuted behind enemy lines.

Recent Examples on the Web

De Paul got it in stride, pushed it into the far corner of the net — and Messi went airborne to hop into his arms a few seconds later, all smiles. —Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 6 Dec. 2025

Diplomatic conversations to resolve the conflict are ongoing, but regular airborne threats and large-scale attacks ensure that the security situation along the NATO-Ukraine border remains volatile. —Associate News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025

Opening windows when possible, improving airflow with fans or using a portable HEPA, or high-efficiency particulate air, filter can dilute airborne viruses. —Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025

The achievement has now received international recognition, marking a milestone for extreme sports engineering and for the strange, soaring world of airborne football. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for airborne

• adorn
• blackthorn
• broomcorn
• buckhorn
• buckthorn
• careworn
• firstborn
• foodborne
• forborne
• forewarn
• forlorn
• forsworn

Kids Definition

airborne

adjective

air·​borne ˈa(ə)r-ˌbōrn 

-ˌbȯrn, 

ˈe(ə)r-

: supported or transported by air

airborne troops

Medical Definition

airborne

adjective

air·​borne -ˌbōrn 

: carried or transported by the air

airborne allergens

airborne bacteria