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
-
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.
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
Ganzha wrote: "We are investigating the details. An air alert is ongoing in the region."
From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2026
"The air alert in Odesa lasted for three-and-a-half hours," Kiper said.
From Reuters ● Oct. 6, 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
But by late afternoon, as darkness fell, there had not been even one air alert in Kyiv.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 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.
