trajectories

noun

plural of trajectory
as in paths
the curved course along which something (such as a rocket) moves through the air or through space the trajectory of the missile

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of trajectories The open-source dataset contains 11,430 real-world trajectories collected across 14 industrial and household tasks. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026 Most are on elliptical trajectories, dipping closer in and then sweeping farther out over their orbits. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2026 The two law school friends shared similar trajectories, including serving in the military before entering the venture capital industry, then pursuing political office (Driscoll unsuccessfully ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2020). — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 That would, in turn, enable them to constantly search for drones, low-flying warplanes, and even cruise missiles flying in unpredictable trajectories. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 With the married couple of Robert and Camille Sims careening off onto very different moral trajectories, Camille must confront troubling truths as her conscience plummets into the pits of Hades, while Robert is on a profound journey of salvation. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The company says the Gulf Coast location provides access to a wide range of launch trajectories, while the availability of natural gas can support the facility’s fuel and power requirements. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 The location provides key advantages, state officials said, including access to abundant natural gas and the ability to launch to a wide range of trajectories. — Stephen Smith, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Players with similar trajectories — like Cory Schlesinger, Matt Hoskinson and Terry Connealy — filled Nebraska's title-winning rosters. — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trajectories
  1. paths
  2. steps
  3. routes
  4. arcs
  5. orbits
  6. pathways
  7. ways
  8. tracks
Noun
  • According to Kaiyuan Securities, Huawei reduced source power density through folding and positioned the most heat-intensive modules along paths where heat can escape more easily.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • DeLauter has been crafty on the base paths, recording 10 steals on 12 attempts.
    — Data Skrive, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of paths
Noun
  • Astaire’s dance steps are always directional, carrying him somewhere and toward something—the girl, the boat, the park bench.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The four plaintiffs argued that the city failed to take steps to prevent further lead from entering the water supply and gave residents false assurance that the water was safe.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of steps
Noun
  • Interceptions were more frequent than in previous training camps, but, like the one with Moore, some involved the new wideouts fine-tuning their routes.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The men blocked routes to the port, where ferries connect England to France.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of routes
Noun
  • That strange hue will gradually fade in the hour following moonrise, as Earth's satellite arcs away from the skyline.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • There was nothing particularly novel about the show’s premise, but the scripts were refreshingly dense with jokes, prioritizing laughs over contrived drama or seasonlong relationship arcs.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of arcs
Noun
  • The kick stage will be able to take big payloads from LEO to higher-energy orbits — for example, up to 8,800 pounds (4,000 kg) to geostationary orbit, a popular hangout for spy, communications and weather satellites that lies 22,236 miles (35,785 kilometers) above Earth.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 2 June 2026
  • Canadian and American researchers simulated satellite orbits in low Earth orbit and generated a metric, the CRASH Clock, that measures the number of days before collisions start happening if collision-avoidance maneuvers stop.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Jan. 2026
Definition of orbits
Noun
  • Also, networks like Starlink, Rassvet, and China’s Guowang and Qianfan fly their satellites in numerous orbital planes, or pathways.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2026
  • By the time a younger sibling arrives, parents know the ropes and the pathways to pursue, according to Blazo, who studies sibling relationships and social comparison in sports.
    — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of pathways
Noun
  • Gizelle, who has been stirring the pot and playing producer for everyone on the trip, keeps up her conniving ways by sitting down all the RHOP ladies except for Candiace during their Potomac retrospective moment at the party.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
  • But in some ways, all those previous games were a drumroll leading up to this one — Super Bowl LXI, in a futuristic $5-billion stadium, absent the lingering restrictions of a pandemic.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of ways
Noun
  • In the old format, Shane van Gisbergen’s road-course dominance would’ve automatically qualified him for the playoff field thanks to two wins at extra curvy tracks this summer.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Some Grouper tracks are cosmic, with synths appearing like auroras along the firmament; others use wispy, haunted vocals and acoustic guitar like gentle brushstrokes on a boundless canvas.
    — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of tracks

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traits
trajectories
trajectory
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Cite this Entry

“Trajectories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trajectories. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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