1
: done or being in the air : being off the ground: such as
a
: carried through the air (as by an aircraft)
b
: supported especially by aerodynamic forces or propelled through the air by force
a plane becoming airborne
c
: transported or carried by the air
airborne allergens
2
: trained for deployment by air and especially by parachute
airborne troops
Examples of airborne in a Sentence
Once the plane was airborne I loosened my seat belt.
Thousands of airborne troops parachuted behind enemy lines.
Recent Examples on the Web
These devices have significant improvements from old-school vacuums, like long battery life, powerful suction, HEPA filtration to remove unwanted airborne particles, and wet-dry features to tackle the toughest messes.
—
Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 12 June 2026
In both cases, Spanish military aircraft provided an airborne escort, a sign of respect for visiting dignitaries, and in one clip of the video Leo is seen waving to the escorting pilot.
—ABC News, 12 June 2026
Once airborne, though, a sense of infinity dawned out the cockpit windows, and of sheer mass behind the pilots.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026
Most of the brick paintings at Wrightwood are Loisaida landscapes, peopled with passionate characters like kissing firemen, airborne skateboarders and Miguel Piñero, a Puerto Rican poet, playwright and ex-convict who was Wong’s lover in the early ’80s.
—Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for airborne
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Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 12 June 2026
In both cases, Spanish military aircraft provided an airborne escort, a sign of respect for visiting dignitaries, and in one clip of the video Leo is seen waving to the escorting pilot.
—ABC News, 12 June 2026
Once airborne, though, a sense of infinity dawned out the cockpit windows, and of sheer mass behind the pilots.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026
Most of the brick paintings at Wrightwood are Loisaida landscapes, peopled with passionate characters like kissing firemen, airborne skateboarders and Miguel Piñero, a Puerto Rican poet, playwright and ex-convict who was Wong’s lover in the early ’80s.
—Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for airborne
Cite this Entry
“Airborne.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airborne. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
airborne
adjective
air·borne
ˈa(ə)r-ˌbōrn 
-ˌbȯrn,
ˈe(ə)r-
: supported or transported by air
airborne troops
Medical Definition
airborne
adjective
air·borne
-ˌbōrn
: carried or transported by the air
airborne allergens
airborne bacteria
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