cruise missile

noun

: a guided missile that has a terrain-following radar system and that flies at moderate speed and low altitude

Examples of cruise missile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And in mid-April, after Israel carried out a deadly airstrike near an Iranian diplomatic complex in Damascus, Iran retaliated by launching more than 350 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones at Israel, creating a new precedent for direct and open combat between the two countries. —

Assaf Orion, Foreign Affairs, 12 Sep. 2024 Well outside the base defenses, the digital icons identifying each aircraft suddenly blossom into a wave of cruise missiles, supersonic anti-air defense missiles, and swarms of armed drones. —

David Szondy, New Atlas, 7 Aug. 2024 Russia fired a total of two ballistic missiles, 11 cruise missiles, and 29 drones, the update said. —

Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2024 Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Georgia, an Ohio-class nuclear submarine carrying non-nuclear Tomahawk cruise missiles, to the region on Sunday. —

George Petras, USA TODAY, 13 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cruise missile

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cruise missile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of cruise missile was in 1959

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cruise missile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruise%20missile. Accessed 29 Sep. 2024.

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