Showing results for airwaves. Search instead for airwave.

airwaves

American

[air-weyvz] / ˈɛərˌweɪvz /

plural noun

the media of radio and television broadcasting.

The airwaves were filled with news flashes about the crisis.

airwaves British

/ ˈɛəˌweɪvz /

plural noun

informal radio waves used in radio and television broadcasting

"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 airwaves

1895–1900, for earlier sense; air ¹ + waves (plural of wave )

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.

He has been an ubiquitous presence on the airwaves, including local news programs and campaign ads that aired during the “Puppy Bowl” on the Animal Planet channel on Super Bowl Sunday.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Prime Minister Boris Johnson being taken into intensive care after he was diagnosed with Covid was "one of the scariest" moments he had on the airwaves, he admitted.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

The billionaire funded Stratton’s super PAC and made himself the face of many of her ads, allowing her to catch up against Krishnamoorthi after he’d had the airwaves to himself for months.

From Slate • Mar. 21, 2026

But the security forces are working to make their presence felt on the ground and over the airwaves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

When the Proactiv infomercials hit the airwaves, my mom paid for a rush order, but even the face wash, toner, and lotion combo couldn't conquer my clogged pores and whiteheads.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023