1
: having successive operating stages
especially : having propulsion units that operate in turn
multistage rockets
2
: conducted by or occurring in stages
a multistage investigation

Examples of multistage 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.
So the cactus has evolved a multistage approach to photosynthesis. Natalie Angier, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2017 The multistage rockets can now hit the lower 48 states, and there was a legitimate military threat that brought them to the table. Fox News, 13 June 2018 In 1998, North Korea launched its first multistage ballistic missile over Japan. Andrew Yeo, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of multistage was in 1904

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Cite this Entry

“Multistage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multistage. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

multistage

adjective
: operating in or involving two or more stages
a multistage rocket
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