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air alert

American  

noun

  1. the act of flying while waiting for combat orders or for enemy airplanes to appear.

  2. the signal to take stations for such action.


air alert British  

noun

  1. the condition in which combat aircraft are airborne and ready for an operation

  2. a signal to prepare for this

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of air alert

First recorded in 1940–45

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.

See Examples For:

The mayor of Kyiv said before the air alert was lifted that drone debris had crashed in two districts of the city but did not report any casualties.

From Barron's Mar. 16, 2026

Valentyna gets to demonstrate that a few hours later as an air alert is activated across the region.

From BBC Oct. 15, 2024

"The air alert in Odesa lasted for three-and-a-half hours," Kiper said.

From Reuters Oct. 6, 2023

That’s especially true for Ukrainian parents like Dmytro and Yulia Kravchenko, who leap to check on 18-month-old Mikhail whenever an air alert sounds.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 5, 2023

When the dangers from the skies pass, Hamill announces via the app that “the air alert is over.”

From Seattle Times Mar. 27, 2023

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