thruster

noun

thrust·​er ˈthrə-stər 

variants or less commonly thrustor

: one that thrusts

especially : an engine (such as a jet engine) that develops thrust by expelling a jet of fluid or a stream of particles

Examples of thruster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The engine burn was the most challenging the lander had conducted with its main engine and thrusters since launching Jan. 15 from Florida on a SpaceX rocket, NASA said. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2025

And the problem that caused Starliner's thrusters to overheat in space last year can be traced to the design of the spacecraft's four propulsion pods, or doghouses, that retain heat like a thermos during successive thruster firings. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 4 Feb. 2025

During the test Friday, the Cargo Dragon's aft thrusters will fire for about 12 minutes. —William Harwood, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2024

Instead, the Starliner spacecraft suffered problems with overheating thrusters and helium leaks after its launch last June aboard an Atlas V rocket. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for thruster

• bluster
• buster
• cluster
• duster
• juster
• luster
• lustre
• muster
• trustor
• adjuster
• baluster
• blockbuster

Kids Definition

thruster

noun

thrust·​er ˈthrəs-tər 

: one that thrusts

especially : an engine that produces thrust by discharging a jet of fluid or a stream of particles