ballistic missile
noun
plural ballistic missiles
: a usually rocket-powered missile that is launched in a high arc under guidance for its ascent but that is unpowered and unguided once it begins its descent compare cruise missile, guided missile
Examples of ballistic missile in a Sentence
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On April 13, 2025, on Palm Sunday, a Russian ballistic missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy resulted in at least 30 people killed and over 80 wounded.
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Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
In response, the Houthis have stepped up their own assaults on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, launching anti-ship ballistic missiles and drones to disrupt shipping and confront U.S.-led naval forces.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
On Friday, a Russian ballistic missile and drone attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih -- Zelenskyy's home town -- killed 19 people, including nine children.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 6 Apr. 2025
The Marshall Islands, a group of 34 atolls and islands in the North Pacific, is home to 82,000 people and a key American military installation, the US Army Garrison Kwajalein, which helps in ballistic missile testing and tracking.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ballistic missile
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Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
In response, the Houthis have stepped up their own assaults on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, launching anti-ship ballistic missiles and drones to disrupt shipping and confront U.S.-led naval forces.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
On Friday, a Russian ballistic missile and drone attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih -- Zelenskyy's home town -- killed 19 people, including nine children.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 6 Apr. 2025
The Marshall Islands, a group of 34 atolls and islands in the North Pacific, is home to 82,000 people and a key American military installation, the US Army Garrison Kwajalein, which helps in ballistic missile testing and tracking.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ballistic missile
Cite this Entry
“Ballistic missile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballistic%20missile. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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