as in ammunitions
an object that is thrown, shot, or launched as a weapon
The protesters were arrested for throwing missiles at the police.
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Recent Examples of missiles
By combining a rotating detonation engine with a dual-mode ramjet inlet, engineers aim to close what is often called the efficiency gap that limits the performance of current hypersonic missiles.
—
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 15 Jan. 2026
Its location gives Greenland a tactical advantage for tracking missiles and monitoring North Atlantic sea traffic.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
In 2020, Iranian air defense shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 with two surface-to-air missiles, killing all 176 people on board.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
The change comes a day after L3Harris said the Pentagon would invest $1 billion in the company’s missiles division, which is expected to become an independent business in the second half of 2026 through an IPO.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026
Nearly all of the missiles were intercepted and no one was hurt in the attack, partly because of the reduction of troops.
—Charlie D'agata, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with drones and missiles since its invasion began in 2022, seeking to cripple heating supplies as temperatures plunge well below freezing.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
Payloads included two satellites for the Missile Defense Agency to track hypersonic missiles and four more satellites for the Tranche 0 constellation for the Space Development Agency.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2026
One area of concern is the efficiency gap for hypersonic missiles that use ramjets for propulsion.
—New Atlas, 14 Jan. 2026
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 15 Jan. 2026
Its location gives Greenland a tactical advantage for tracking missiles and monitoring North Atlantic sea traffic.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
In 2020, Iranian air defense shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 with two surface-to-air missiles, killing all 176 people on board.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
The change comes a day after L3Harris said the Pentagon would invest $1 billion in the company’s missiles division, which is expected to become an independent business in the second half of 2026 through an IPO.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026
Nearly all of the missiles were intercepted and no one was hurt in the attack, partly because of the reduction of troops.
—Charlie D'agata, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with drones and missiles since its invasion began in 2022, seeking to cripple heating supplies as temperatures plunge well below freezing.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
Payloads included two satellites for the Missile Defense Agency to track hypersonic missiles and four more satellites for the Tranche 0 constellation for the Space Development Agency.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2026
One area of concern is the efficiency gap for hypersonic missiles that use ramjets for propulsion.
—New Atlas, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for missiles
Noun
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Those were her last words before the agent fired three bullets through the window, according to multiple videos taken from a number of angles.—
Theresa Braine,
Mercury News,
13 Jan. 2026
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The foreman dragged the fellow responsible for this disaster by the hair to a corner of the encampment and, deaf to his pleas, put two bullets in his head.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Four players attempted five or more foul shots.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
14 Jan. 2026
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But as Tuffy staved off 16 shots from BC in the third, MacDonald stepped up midway through to snipe the game-winner.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Regular-season victories guaranteed a slot in the 10-race playoffs, a win in any of the first three three-race rounds advanced a driver into the next round, while the bottom three drivers at the end of each round were eliminated.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Jan. 2026
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As Powell — one of Capitol Hill’s most adroit navigators — made his rounds, Republicans on both sides of the Capitol panned the investigation.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Distinctive mounds of pretty pink conch shells tower over the waves, piled up over the centuries to create one of Anegada's most important landmarks.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Scale insects appear as tiny brown shells on plants.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Rebuilding efforts can also be delayed by the bounces of lottery balls, a bust pick, organizational impatience, a key devastating injury and the like.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
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Federal agents have launched less lethal munitions, including pepper balls, tear gas, pepper spray, and flashbangs at protesters, according to CNN.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Missiles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missiles. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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