sound barrier

noun

: a sudden large increase in aerodynamic drag that occurs as the speed of an aircraft approaches the speed of sound

Examples of sound barrier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
However, to address the complaints, Marathon has promised to reconfigure the facility to extend an existing sound barrier made of metal and acoustic-dampening material, and switch half the site to liquid immersion by the end of the year. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 11 Sep. 2024 Livingston added sound barrier tiles to the recording studio section and bought a couch, dining chairs and a few four-bin record racks to use as a studio desk. Amanda Long, Washington Post, 7 Dec. 2023 Ward isn’t breaking any sound barriers by any means. Khari Nixon, Spin, 28 Aug. 2023 In the meantime, click here for a trial preview packed with facts, including whether explosions are increasing at the plant and what happened to a sound barrier wall the company built there. The Enquirer, 6 July 2023 See all Example Sentences for sound barrier 

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sound barrier was in 1939

Dictionary Entries Near sound barrier

Cite this Entry

“Sound barrier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sound%20barrier. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sound barrier

noun
: the sudden large increase in resistance that the air offers to an aircraft nearing the speed of sound

More from Merriam-Webster on sound barrier

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