sonic boom
noun
: a sound resembling an explosion produced when a shock wave formed at the nose of an aircraft traveling at supersonic speed reaches the ground
called also sonic bang
Examples of sonic boom in a Sentence
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Aviation regulations have restricted supersonic flight over land because of the sonic boom.
—
Suzanne Wright, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Abrupt changes can amplify wave drag and steepen the shock signature, so this smoothing also assists in mitigating the sonic boom.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2025
The descent was visible to spectators onshore and was accompanied by a double sonic boom.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
The first-stage booster is making its sixth trip to space and will aim for a recovery at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 2, which means parts of Central Florida could be in store to hear one or more late-night sonic booms.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
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Suzanne Wright, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Abrupt changes can amplify wave drag and steepen the shock signature, so this smoothing also assists in mitigating the sonic boom.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2025
The descent was visible to spectators onshore and was accompanied by a double sonic boom.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
The first-stage booster is making its sixth trip to space and will aim for a recovery at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 2, which means parts of Central Florida could be in store to hear one or more late-night sonic booms.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sonic boom
Cite this Entry
“Sonic boom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sonic%20boom. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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