projectile

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noun pro·jec·tile \ prə-ˈjek-tᵊl , -ˌtī(-ə)l , chiefly British ˈprä-jik-ˌtī(-ə)l \

Definition of projectile

1 :a body projected by external force and continuing in motion by its own inertia; especially :a missile for a weapon (such as a firearm)

2 :a self-propelling weapon (such as a rocket)

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Examples of projectile in a Sentence

The cannon fires a ten-pound projectile.
Someone threw a projectile at her car.

Recent Examples of projectile from the Web

The machine has ports in the shield for firing projectiles and also carries water cannon.

— Washington Post, "Russian Kalashnikov arms maker presents riot control vehicle," 29 Aug. 2017
Only twice before has the North fired projectiles over Japanese territory: once in 1998, prompting a minor diplomatic crisis in Asia, and once again at the beginning of the Obama administration in 2009.

— choe sang-hun and david e. sanger, New York Times, "North Korea Fires Missile Over Japan," 28 Aug. 2017
North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under young leader Kim Jong-Un, the most recent on Saturday, but firing projectiles over mainland Japan is rare.

— keshiahannam, Fortune, "Harvey’s Damage Causes Crippling Houston Airport Closures," 28 Aug. 2017
Seoul, South Korea (AP) -- South Korea says North Korea has fired several unidentified projectiles to the sea in what appears to be the latest weapons tests for the country that has been rapidly expanding its nuclear weapons and missile program.

— Bloomberg.com, "North Korea Fires Several Projectiles to Sea, South Korea Says," 25 Aug. 2017
And didn’t any of them have projectiles—rocks, big chunks of ice, skulls, spears capable of killing dragons?

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Is Game of Thrones on Thin Ice?," 21 Aug. 2017
Police found one shell casing and one projectile in front of the McCall house.

— carol robinson, AL.com, "Young man indicted on capital murder charge in Tarrant shooting over stolen car," 8 Aug. 2017
That was where a lethal projectile entered her brother's body and tore into his heart.

— miamiherald, "The heartbreak of victims’ families in Venezuela fuels the resistance against Maduro," 21 July 2017
Police say no rubber bullets were used that night, and forensic experts contacted by the Observer say a rubber projectile would not have caused the fatal damage to Carr’s skull and brain.

— michael gordon, charlotteobserver, "Plea deal offered in slaying that inflamed uptown Charlotte protests," 19 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'projectile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.