cruise missile

noun

: a guided missile that has a terrain-following radar system and that flies at moderate speed and low altitude

Examples of cruise missile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The United Arab Emirates' defense ministry said two of its tankers were targeted by Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz in Omani waters, killing one person. — Npr Staff, NPR, 14 July 2026

The report also estimates that China’s air- and sea-launched cruise missiles will increase from about 1,000 now to around 5,000 by 2035. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026

Eleven people were wounded in the capital, Kyiv, by an attack that used ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones. — Reuters, NBC news, 11 July 2026

In Kuwait, the military said falling debris wounded one person as the nation shot down three ballistic missiles, a cruise missile and 10 drones. — Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cruise missile

• abyssal
• dismissal
• epistle
• bristle
• fissile
• gristle
• missal
• nissl
• thistle
• whistle