impactor
noun
im·pac·tor
im-ˈpak-tər 
variants
or impacter
1
: a machine (such as a steam or air hammer or a pile driver) or part that operates by striking blows
2
Examples of impactor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In doing so, the Earth could either absorb those impacts or gravitationally deflect those potential impactors away from the Moon.
—
Big Think, 26 Nov. 2025
Based on his calculations, the impactor was likely part of the Taurid meteor stream, striking the moon at a velocity of 27 km/s (60,000 mph) and an angle of 35 degrees.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Asteroid defense mission with observer and impactor Wu Weiren, chief designer of the nation’s lunar exploration programme and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, announced the project during the third Deep Space Exploration (Tiandu) International Conference in Hefei, Anhui province.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2025
The meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs, called the Chicxulub impactor, is estimated to be between 6 to 9 miles in diameter.
—Amanda Castro
hannah Parry
anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impactor
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Big Think, 26 Nov. 2025
Based on his calculations, the impactor was likely part of the Taurid meteor stream, striking the moon at a velocity of 27 km/s (60,000 mph) and an angle of 35 degrees.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Asteroid defense mission with observer and impactor Wu Weiren, chief designer of the nation’s lunar exploration programme and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, announced the project during the third Deep Space Exploration (Tiandu) International Conference in Hefei, Anhui province.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2025
The meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs, called the Chicxulub impactor, is estimated to be between 6 to 9 miles in diameter.
—Amanda Castro
hannah Parry
anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impactor
Cite this Entry
“Impactor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impactor. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.
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