contrail
noun
con·trail
ˈkän-ˌtrāl 
: streaks of condensed water vapor created in the air by an airplane or rocket at high altitudes
Examples of contrail in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Conspiracy theorists say that contrails – long streaks of condensation left by aircraft – are actually chemtrails, clouds of chemical or biological agents dumped on the unsuspecting public for nefarious purposes.
—
Calum Lister Matheson, The Conversation, 14 Nov. 2025
The plush contrails of a military flyover.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Nov. 2025
There is also no evidence that plane contrails cause health problems or are related to intentional efforts to control the climate, according to the EPA and other scientists.
—Stephanie Armour, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
Just 3% of flights create 80% of the impact, and contrails only form in certain areas of the atmosphere.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrail
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.
Calum Lister Matheson, The Conversation, 14 Nov. 2025
The plush contrails of a military flyover.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Nov. 2025
There is also no evidence that plane contrails cause health problems or are related to intentional efforts to control the climate, according to the EPA and other scientists.
—Stephanie Armour, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
Just 3% of flights create 80% of the impact, and contrails only form in certain areas of the atmosphere.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrail
Cite this Entry
“Contrail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contrail. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
contrail
noun
con·trail
ˈkän-ˌtrāl
: a stream of visible water or ice particles created in the air by an airplane or rocket at high altitudes
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share