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
Recent Examples on the Web
SpaceX has warned that residents in the Bahamas may hear one or more sonic booms during the first-stage landing.
—
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2025
Small ones around 30 feet impact Earth about once in a decade, causing a very bright fireball, and a strong sonic boom.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
There is not yet any realistic entry into service date for the next generation of supersonic aircraft, and engineers still have to prove that efforts to mitigate the sonic boom will work at scale, among other things.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 26 June 2025
SpaceX plans to once again attempt to return the rocket booster and catch it at the launch pad, which would cause sonic booms in the area around the landing zone.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sonic boom
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.
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2025
Small ones around 30 feet impact Earth about once in a decade, causing a very bright fireball, and a strong sonic boom.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
There is not yet any realistic entry into service date for the next generation of supersonic aircraft, and engineers still have to prove that efforts to mitigate the sonic boom will work at scale, among other things.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 26 June 2025
SpaceX plans to once again attempt to return the rocket booster and catch it at the launch pad, which would cause sonic booms in the area around the landing zone.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 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 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share