ballistic missile
noun
plural ballistic missiles
: a usually rocket-powered missile that is launched in a high arc under guidance for its ascent but that is unpowered and unguided once it begins its descent compare cruise missile, guided missile
Examples of ballistic missile in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Russia has hammered Ukraine with aerial attacks, including using hard-to-intercept ballistic missiles.
—
Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
And an unarmed Trident II D5 ballistic missile was launched from a submarine off Florida, its blazing trail visible from Puerto Rico on September 21.
—Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 10 Nov. 2025
What appear to be intercontinental ballistic missile parts can be seen parked on the tarmac as sections of old rockets sit in lots surrounded by weeds.
—Tamara Qiblawi, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Forward bases and aircraft carriers are expensive to build and maintain, yet still vulnerable to ballistic missiles and other asymmetric systems.
—Zack Cooper, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ballistic missile
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Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
And an unarmed Trident II D5 ballistic missile was launched from a submarine off Florida, its blazing trail visible from Puerto Rico on September 21.
—Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 10 Nov. 2025
What appear to be intercontinental ballistic missile parts can be seen parked on the tarmac as sections of old rockets sit in lots surrounded by weeds.
—Tamara Qiblawi, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Forward bases and aircraft carriers are expensive to build and maintain, yet still vulnerable to ballistic missiles and other asymmetric systems.
—Zack Cooper, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ballistic missile
Cite this Entry
“Ballistic missile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballistic%20missile. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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