splashdown

noun

splash·​down ˈsplash-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce splashdown (audio)
plural splashdowns
Synonyms of splashdownnext
: the landing of a crewed spacecraft in the ocean
splash down intransitive verb

Examples of splashdown in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Drones and buoy cameras recorded live views of the on-target splashdown. Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 23 May 2026 SpaceX had planned a Gulf of Mexico splashdown instead of tower recovery to avoid pad risk on the first flight of new hardware. Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 23 May 2026 The massive ship made a sojourn in suborbital space before both the Starship Super Heavy booster and its Ship upper stage made fiery splashdowns to conclude the mission. Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 23 May 2026 The issue prevented the team from attempting a relight of the engines in space ahead of splashdown. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for splashdown

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of splashdown was in 1959

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Splashdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/splashdown. Accessed 26 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

splashdown

noun
splash·​down ˈsplash-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce splashdown (audio)
: the landing of a spacecraft in the ocean

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