air alert
Americannoun
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the act of flying while waiting for combat orders or for enemy airplanes to appear.
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the signal to take stations for such action.
noun
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the condition in which combat aircraft are airborne and ready for an operation
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a signal to prepare for this
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.
Ukraine's air force also announced a countrywide air alert in the early hours of Saturday and said on social media that drones and missiles were moving over several Ukrainian regions, including the capital.
From Barron's ● Dec. 26, 2025
Earlier on Friday morning, the Ukrainian authorities issued an air alert linked to the possible launch of an Oreshnik missile, and urged people in Kyiv to urgently seek shelter.
From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2024
"The air alert in Odesa lasted for three-and-a-half hours," Kiper said.
From Reuters ● Oct. 6, 2023
And once the threat of possible air attacks passes, Hamill gives a proper Jedi sendoff: “Attention. The air alert is over. May the Force be with you.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 28, 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
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.
