thermobaric

adjective

ther·​mo·​bar·​ic ˌthər-mə-ˈbär-ik 

-ˈber-ik, 

-ˈba-rik

of a weapon

: containing a charge of fuel designed to ignite and combine with oxygen present in the atmosphere to produce a prolonged explosion

… thermobaric weapons create extreme heat along with a devastating blast wave particularly when employed in enclosed spaces …

—Theodore L. Gatchel

Examples of thermobaric in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The same vessels were reportedly fitted with thermobaric Shmel rocket launchers capable of blasting entrenched positions along the shoreline. — David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

In Iraq, militants used powerful but crude explosive devices; two decades later, Armonda had to deal with the carnage wrought by cluster bombs and thermobaric explosions. — Martha Raddatz, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026

Armed with thermobaric rockets, a full salvo can blanket roughly 40,000 square meters (430,556 square feet) in seconds, generating intense overpressure capable of destroying bunkers, fortified positions, lightly armored vehicles, and concentrations of personnel. — Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 19 Nov. 2025

Some are armed with thermobaric warheads, are armored and some are powered by jet engines. — David Brennan, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Russian termobaricheskiy, from termo- thermo- + -baricheskiy, as in izobaricheskiy isobaric

First Known Use

1998, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for thermobaric

• isobaric
• arrack
• barrack
• barbaric
• pindaric