splashdown

noun

splash·​down ˈsplash-ˌdau̇n 

plural splashdowns

: the landing of a crewed spacecraft in the ocean

splash down intransitive verb

Examples of splashdown in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And so far, none of these space powers has commissioned experimental new spacecraft designed to dock with ghost rockets and guide them to a splashdown in the remote Antarctic seas, eliminating any threat to human life presented by an uncontrolled atmospheric reentry. —Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026

The Dragon will remain docked for about a month before making a return to Earth targeting splashdown in the Pacific. —Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 May 2026

Super Heavy, meanwhile, will steer itself to a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico about seven minutes after launch. —Mike Wall, Space.com, 12 May 2026

Since making a splashdown near California, the three Americans and one Canadian selected for NASA's landmark Artemis II mission have hardly been idle. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for splashdown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

splashdown

noun

splash·​down ˈsplash-ˌdau̇n 

: the landing of a spacecraft in the ocean