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
The event took place over the Mohave Desert, the same location where Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier for the first time in 1947.
—
Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 29 Jan. 2025
Boom Supersonic made history today (Jan. 28) when its XB-1 jet broke the sound barrier for the first time.
—Brett Tingley, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2025
Boom Supersonic, the American company building what promises to be the world’s fastest airliner, broke the sound barrier for its first time with a test flight in Mojave, California.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025
America’s answer to the Concorde broke the sound barrier for the first time during a test flight in California.
—Daniel Wine, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
This flight took place in what might be considered hallowed airspace, as the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California is also the location where the Bell X-1 first broke the sound barrier in 1947.
—New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2024
Local media are reporting that the sound may have been jets breaking the sound barrier.
—NBC News, 5 Oct. 2024
In 1969: The French Concorde 001 broke the sound barrier and went on to become the first commercial supersonic aircraft, flying passengers across the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound for more than two decades.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 1 Oct. 2024
Israeli warplanes flew low over Beirut while Nasrallah spoke and broke the sound barrier, scattering birds and prompting people in houses and offices to quickly open windows to prevent them from shattering.
—Bradford Betz, Fox News, 20 Sep. 2024
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Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 29 Jan. 2025
Boom Supersonic made history today (Jan. 28) when its XB-1 jet broke the sound barrier for the first time.
—Brett Tingley, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2025
Boom Supersonic, the American company building what promises to be the world’s fastest airliner, broke the sound barrier for its first time with a test flight in Mojave, California.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025
America’s answer to the Concorde broke the sound barrier for the first time during a test flight in California.
—Daniel Wine, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
This flight took place in what might be considered hallowed airspace, as the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California is also the location where the Bell X-1 first broke the sound barrier in 1947.
—New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2024
Local media are reporting that the sound may have been jets breaking the sound barrier.
—NBC News, 5 Oct. 2024
In 1969: The French Concorde 001 broke the sound barrier and went on to become the first commercial supersonic aircraft, flying passengers across the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound for more than two decades.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 1 Oct. 2024
Israeli warplanes flew low over Beirut while Nasrallah spoke and broke the sound barrier, scattering birds and prompting people in houses and offices to quickly open windows to prevent them from shattering.
—Bradford Betz, Fox News, 20 Sep. 2024
Dictionary Entries Near the sound barrier
Cite this Entry
“The sound barrier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20sound%20barrier. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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