the sound barrier

noun

: the large increase in air resistance that occurs as an aircraft nears the speed of sound and that was once an obstacle to traveling faster than the speed of sound

a plane that is able to break the sound barrier

Examples of the sound barrier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Photo : Bombardier Global 8000 Fastest Business Jet, Bombardier Global 8000 In tests, using sustainable aviation fuel, the Bombardier 8000 broke the sound barrier at Mach 1.015. —Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2024

Despite their impressive speeds, a few small technicalities mean that the three flights didn’t actually break the sound barrier, despite traveling much faster than the speed of sound. —Owen Bellwood / Jalopnik, Quartz, 21 Feb. 2024

While the planes did move faster than the speed of sound, which travels at about 767 miles per hour, the flights did not break the sound barrier. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2024

While the flight’s peak speed of 802 mph was higher than the speed of sound (767 mph), the aircraft did not break the sound barrier. —Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2024

The company says that the Overture aircraft is being designed to meet today’s takeoff and landing noise levels, and will only cross the sound barrier over water. —Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Jan. 2024

Breaking the sound barrier was a fairly new concept at the time, and people didn’t always use the term correctly. —Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Dec. 2023

Supersonic overland flight has been banned for decades due to the noise produced when aircraft break the sound barrier. —Jaclyn Trop, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2023

The plane's unique shape also would theoretically allow supersonic shockwaves to be spread out, preventing the familiar sonic boom from occurring on the ground when the aircraft breaks the sound barrier. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2023