hypersonic

adjective

hy·​per·​son·​ic ˌhī-pər-ˈsä-nik How to pronounce hypersonic (audio)
1
: of or relating to speed five or more times that of sound in air compare sonic
2
: moving, capable of moving, or utilizing air currents that move at hypersonic speed
hypersonic wind tunnel
hypersonically adverb

Examples of hypersonic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The launch of the common hypersonic missile, which is capable of covering more than 3,836 miles per hour (mph), was conducted as part of a joint test by the US Army and Navy. Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026 Payloads included two satellites for the Missile Defense Agency to track hypersonic missiles and four more satellites for the Tranche 0 constellation for the Space Development Agency. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026 Nations now need to defend everywhere, all the time, against threats ranging from a $1,000 quadcopter with a half-pound of explosives to multimillion-dollar ballistic and hypersonic missiles. Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026 Also Tuesday, a hypersonic glide vehicle, a new weapons system designed for island defense, was deployed to Camp Fuji in the Shizuoka prefecture, west of Tokyo. ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hypersonic

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hypersonic was in 1946

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hypersonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypersonic. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster