thruster

noun

thrust·​er ˈthrə-stər 

variants or less commonly thrustor

: one that thrusts

especially : an engine (such as a jet engine) that develops thrust by expelling a jet of fluid or a stream of particles

Examples of thruster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The team tried out different voltage levels on the thrusters and examined the spray's ability to maneuver and spin the cubesat. —Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 9 June 2026

The researchers placed the micro satellite on a magnetic levitation platform – essentially a MagLev track that mimics the weightlessness of space – and fired the thrusters remotely at varying voltage levels, watching the satellite spin like a slow-motion top. —Omar Kardoudi june 05, New Atlas, 5 June 2026

The capsules include cold-gas attitude control thrusters for propulsion. —Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 1 June 2026

The mission will test landing systems and study how spacecraft thrusters interact with the moon’s dusty surface — a major engineering challenge for future Artemis missions. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for thruster

• bluster
• buster
• cluster
• duster
• juster
• luster
• lustre
• maister
• muster
• trustor
• adjuster
• baluster

Kids Definition

thruster

noun

thrust·​er ˈthrəs-tər 

: one that thrusts

especially : an engine that produces thrust by discharging a jet of fluid or a stream of particles