intercontinental

adjective

in·​ter·​con·​ti·​nen·​tal ˌin-tər-ˌkän-tə-ˈnen-tᵊl 

1

: extending among continents or carried on between continents

2

: capable of traveling between continents

intercontinental ballistic missile

Examples of intercontinental in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Votkinsk factory, more than 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from Ukraine, produces Iskander ballistic missiles, often used in strikes against the country, as well as nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles. —ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026

At the time of its signing in 2010, it was seen by arms control advocates as a way to move the world away from the risk of nuclear disaster ​​via fewer intercontinental ballistic missiles, bomber planes and long-range weapons on submarines. —Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 5 Feb. 2026

Fans should savour the glamour of intercontinental trips, however, as, barring a minor miracle, Spurs’ fixture list will be significantly less glitzy next term. —Elias Burke, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026

But by the late 1950s, ICBMs emerged – and these deadly intercontinental ballistic missiles presented North America with a more insidious (and for a long time, indefensible) threat. —Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for intercontinental

• interdepartmental
• intergovernmental
• intragovernmental
• nonexperimental
• accidental
• compartmental
• continental
• detrimental
• elemental
• fundamental
• governmental
• incidental

Kids Definition

intercontinental

adjective

in·​ter·​con·​ti·​nen·​tal ˌint-ər-ˌkänt-ᵊn-ˈent-ᵊl 

1

: extending among or carried on between continents

intercontinental trade

2

: capable of traveling from one continent to another

an intercontinental ballistic missile