cruise missile

American  

noun

1. a winged guided missile designed to deliver a conventional or nuclear warhead by flying at low altitudes to avoid detection by radar.

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cruise missile British  

noun

1. an air-breathing low-flying subsonic missile that is continuously powered and guided throughout its flight and carries a warhead

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cruise missile Cultural  

1. A military missile equipped with an onboard computer that allows it to guide itself on a preprogrammed course over long distances by sensing the terrain and comparing it to maps stored in its memory. (See smart weapons (see also smart weapons).)

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Cruise missiles first came into public awareness during the Persian Gulf War.

Compare meaning

How does cruise-missile compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cruise missile vs. ballistic missile

Example Sentences

North Korea has recently staged strategic cruise missile launches from the Choe Hyon, which analysts believe could be equipped to carry nuclear warheads.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

On Sept. 14, 2019, a coordinated drone and cruise missile attack—which the U.S.,

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Video footage clearly shows the damage was done by a Tomahawk cruise missile.

From Slate • Mar. 10, 2026

They include Poseidon - a new intercontinental, nuclear armed and nuclear powered undersea autonomous torpedo, and also Burevestnik – a nuclear armed and powered cruise missile.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

A stealthy aircraft bombing unimpededly is not distinct from a cruise missile fired at 1,000 miles regarding the effect of ordnance on target.

From Shock and Awe — Achieving Rapid Dominance by Wade, James P.