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.

See Examples For:

airwaves

Graham benefited from not just Trump’s endorsement but a significant funding advantage over Norman, as well as from outside groups flooding the airwaves on her behalf.

From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026

Corruption could become a hot campaign issue, and controlling the narrative on the airwaves, where most Mexicans get their news, will be crucial for the party.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

But that territorial dispute spread through the airwaves as part of a bigger national rivalry - East Coast vs West Coast rap.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

What followed over the next several days was an almost total blackout of the president’s speech across Fox’s airwaves.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

Plutarch was appointed secretary of communications, which means he sets the programming for the airwaves.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

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