airborne

adjective

air·​borne ˈer-ˌbȯrn 

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

In an era where consumers are seeking solutions for climate changes, protection from airborne diseases and cachet that comes with ‘no-tox’ lifestyles, such designs set Dyson apart from its competitors in the air treatment space. — Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026

Once airborne, kilometers from shore, where coastal boat traffic becomes sparse, cameras and other sensors help spot slower vessels that would have the right of way at all times. — IEEE Spectrum, 22 Oct. 2026

Witnesses said the speeding car jumped over a sidewalk, knocked down a chain-link fence and ripped out another wooden fence before going airborne into the house. — Tammy Mutasa, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026

Abrosimov said resuming serial production would strengthen Russia’s technological independence and support the long-term development of its Long-Range Aviation fleet and the airborne component of the country’s nuclear triad. — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for airborne

• adorn
• blackthorn
• broomcorn
• buckhorn
• buckthorn
• careworn
• firstborn
• foodborne
• forborne
• forewarn
• forlorn
• forsworn

Kids 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