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
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These are the largest, most advanced, and most powerful British attack submarines, the Royal Navy said, capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles to strike targets on the ground 1,000 miles away. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025 Needless to say, no such peace deal happened, and Israel again turned inward to develop its own cruise missiles. Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025 The platforms tested included a supersonic cruise missile, a strategic cruise missile, an anti-aircraft missile and a 127mm shipboard automatic gun. David Brennan, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2025 In addition to these advances in ballistic missiles, China has also developed a formidable arsenal of cruise missiles. Andrew S. Lim, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cruise missile

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cruise missile was in 1959

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Cite this Entry

“Cruise missile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruise%20missile. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

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