warhead

noun

war·​head ˈwȯr-ˌhed How to pronounce warhead (audio)
: the section of a missile containing the explosive, chemical, or incendiary charge

Examples of warhead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But opponents of nuclear weapons modernization point out that WIPP and Los Alamos are inextricably linked because the production of new warheads requires a repository for waste products. Abe Streep, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2023 China has developed an arsenal of more than 500 operational nuclear warheads and is set to double that number by the end of the decade, exceeding previous Pentagon estimates, according to a Defense Department report. Cate Cadell, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2023 While some versions of the missiles can go as far as about 180 miles, the ones sent to Ukraine have a shorter range and carry cluster munitions, which, when fired, open in the air, releasing hundreds of bomblets rather than a single warhead. Lolita C. Baldor The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2023 China is also making major investments in its military, according to a Pentagon report released last week, including a doubling of its operational nuclear warheads by the end of the decade. Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2023 The ballistic missile system is capable of carrying at least 10 nuclear warheads and is intended to replace the R-36 ICBMs that are known by the NATO reporting name of Satan. Brie Stimson, Fox News, 2 Sep. 2023 What aspects of game or decision theory can make any sort of comprehensive sense out of the fact that around 13,000 nuclear warheads now exist, enough to obliterate the planet several times over? TIME, 28 Oct. 2023 The Chinese military, the People’s Liberation Army, remains on track to have more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030, the Pentagon estimates, most of them for missiles and other weapons capable of striking the continental United States. Chris Buckley, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2023 While no Israeli official will confirm or deny the existence of nuclear weapons, it is widely believed that the country possesses 80-90 nuclear warheads. Misty Severi, Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of warhead was in 1898

Dictionary Entries Near warhead

Cite this Entry

“Warhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warhead. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

warhead

noun
war·​head ˈwȯ(ə)r-ˌhed How to pronounce warhead (audio)
: the section of a missile containing the charge

More from Merriam-Webster on warhead

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!