airwaves

American  

[air-weyvz] / ˈɛərˌweɪvz /

plural noun

1. the media of radio and television broadcasting.

   The airwaves were filled with news flashes about the crisis.

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airwaves British  

/ ˈɛəˌweɪvz /

plural noun

1. informal radio waves used in radio and television broadcasting

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Etymology

Origin of airwaves

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

Example Sentences

The Kars4Kids jingle is back on the air in California after being ordered off the airwaves last month.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, also paid tribute to Harris, saying he had filled the airwaves with "love, laughter and captivating stories".

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

There was a rich businessman whose free-spending ad blitz made him inescapable on the airwaves.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 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

At 15:00, the designated hour, we stand tense and silent in the back of a room full of screens and computers and watch Beetee and his team try to dominate the airwaves.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins