the stratosphere

noun

1
: the upper layer of the Earth's atmosphere that begins about 7 miles (11 kilometers) above the Earth's surface and ends about 30 miles (50 kilometers) above the Earth's surface
2
: a very high position, level, or amount
Tuition at many colleges has soared into the stratosphere.
His career is clearly headed for the stratosphere.

Examples of the stratosphere in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Rank-and-file worker wages have barely kept up with inflation, while CEO pay has rocketed into the stratosphere. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 In the stratosphere of top tech CEOs, Karp is an unusual figure. TIME, 8 Feb. 2024 Some concepts – such as placing reflective solar sails into space, or sending aerosols into the stratosphere – create an effect not unlike a solar eclipse, according to Trees. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2024 Did those moves automatically launch the Suns and Mavs into the stratosphere of the Nuggets and Clippers? Mirjam Swanson, Orange County Register, 8 Feb. 2024 During the early Cold War, the United States’ intelligence capabilities literally went into the stratosphere, with the advent of the U-2 and other high-altitude spy planes that could photograph Soviet military installations with impressive clarity. William J. Burns, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2024 These include lower emissions of cooling aerosols from shipping, a peak in the solar cycle, and high levels of water vapor in the stratosphere due to the eruption of the Hunga Tonga volcano. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 9 Jan. 2024 Every year, an ozone hole forms over the Antarctic due to the presence of ozone-depleting substances in the stratosphere and the specific conditions of the region, according to Copernicus. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2023 Her image peered from a postage stamp in 1986, flew across the stratosphere on the wings of a Norwegian Air plane in 2017, and adorned a Google Doodle two years later. Cynthia Greenlee, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the stratosphere.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near the stratosphere

Cite this Entry

“The stratosphere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20stratosphere. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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