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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The agency is responsible for overseeing thousands of warheads that are not currently deployed on missiles, bombers and submarines. The Npr Network, NPR, 22 Oct. 2025 Hurricanes could damage submarines or delay the transport of nuclear warheads, warned researcher Jamie Kwong, a fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Ames Alexander, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025 Among them are the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, the Sandia National Laboratories in California and New Mexico, the Los Alamos National Laboratory—central to nuclear weapons design—in New Mexico and the Pantex Plant in Texas, where warheads are assembled and dismantled. Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025 Imagine a nuclear warhead is hurtling straight toward us, with only 18 minutes to respond before a major city is obliterated. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for warhead

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of warhead was in 1898

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Cite this Entry

“Warhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warhead. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

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
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