supersonic
Americanadjective
-
greater than the speed of sound waves through air.
-
capable of achieving such speed.
a supersonic plane.
adjective
-
Having a speed greater than that of sound in a designated medium, usually air; having a speed greater than Mach 1.
-
Compare hypersonic subsonic transonic
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of supersonic
Compare meaning
How does supersonic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
It’s faster than the speed of sound, it’s supersonic! Seriously. Supersonic describes things that can travel faster than the speed of sound, like the passenger jet Concorde that used to zip from New York to London in under four hours. Anything supersonic is so fast that you see it before you hear it. A high-speed fighter jet is supersonic, but there aren't any supersonic passenger planes since Concorde's retirement in 2003. Space shuttles and modern bullets are still supersonic. Originally, the word supersonic meant "having to do with sound waves beyond human hearing," but by 1934 it described movement exceeding the speed of sound, with ultrasonic taking on the old meaning. Sonic comes from the Latin sonus, or "sound."
Vocabulary lists containing supersonic
Common Senses: Son ("Sound")
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Crossover
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for March 16–March 22, 2024
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Aircraft startup Boom Supersonic also said it plans to sell a modified version of its engine as a natural gas power turbine, and the AI data center startup Crusoe is its first customer.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026
Boom Supersonic announced a $1.25 billion backlog for its “Superpower Turbine” for AI data centers and secured $300 million in new funding.
From Barron's • Dec. 11, 2025
The test flight of a plane called XB-1, developed by the company Boom Supersonic, became the first civilian jet to break the sound barrier since the Concorde.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025
Supersonic will likely behave better than the Gallaghers, but for Angeleno Anglophiles, this week’s revelry is on par with Taylor Swift’s Eras tour or a BTS reunion coming to town.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2025
Supersonic aircraft and missiles were determining the course of the Cold War, but so too would “science textbooks and racial relations.”
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
