the sound barrier
noun
: the large increase in air resistance that occurs as an aircraft nears the speed of sound and that was once an obstacle to traveling faster than the speed of sound
a plane that is able to break the sound barrier
Examples of the sound barrier in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Supersonic overland flight has been banned for decades due to the noise produced when aircraft break the sound barrier.
—
Jaclyn Trop, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2023
The plane's unique shape also would theoretically allow supersonic shockwaves to be spread out, preventing the familiar sonic boom from occurring on the ground when the aircraft breaks the sound barrier.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2023
On the afternoon of June 27, 1966, a noise like a jet cracking through the sound barrier erupted suddenly above the town of Saint-Séverin, in southwestern France.
—Andrew Zaleski, Popular Mechanics, 22 Aug. 2023
From the first plane to break the sound barrier to high altitude, long endurance (HALE) tests, the 72 planes spanning nearly 77 years have captured the imaginations of aviation enthusiasts the world over.
—Jessica Coulon, Popular Mechanics, 1 June 2023
Shortly after the end of World War II, Bell Aircraft, along with the U.S. Air Force and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (the predecessor to NASA), set out to break the sound barrier.
—Jessica Coulon, Popular Mechanics, 1 June 2023
The Sox claimed a 3-0 lead in the first inning when Rafael Devers continued his early-season experiment to see if a baseball can be struck with sufficient force to break the sound barrier.
—Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Apr. 2023
One of his goals, to break the sound barrier, was finally achieved by British driver Andy Green in 1997.
—Alex Traub, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Apr. 2023
One of his goals, to break the sound barrier, was finally achieved by the British driver Andy Green in 1997.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2023
See More
Jaclyn Trop, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2023
The plane's unique shape also would theoretically allow supersonic shockwaves to be spread out, preventing the familiar sonic boom from occurring on the ground when the aircraft breaks the sound barrier.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2023
On the afternoon of June 27, 1966, a noise like a jet cracking through the sound barrier erupted suddenly above the town of Saint-Séverin, in southwestern France.
—Andrew Zaleski, Popular Mechanics, 22 Aug. 2023
From the first plane to break the sound barrier to high altitude, long endurance (HALE) tests, the 72 planes spanning nearly 77 years have captured the imaginations of aviation enthusiasts the world over.
—Jessica Coulon, Popular Mechanics, 1 June 2023
Shortly after the end of World War II, Bell Aircraft, along with the U.S. Air Force and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (the predecessor to NASA), set out to break the sound barrier.
—Jessica Coulon, Popular Mechanics, 1 June 2023
The Sox claimed a 3-0 lead in the first inning when Rafael Devers continued his early-season experiment to see if a baseball can be struck with sufficient force to break the sound barrier.
—Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Apr. 2023
One of his goals, to break the sound barrier, was finally achieved by British driver Andy Green in 1997.
—Alex Traub, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Apr. 2023
One of his goals, to break the sound barrier, was finally achieved by the British driver Andy Green in 1997.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the sound barrier.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“The sound barrier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20sound%20barrier. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
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