antiballistic missile

British  

noun

1.  ABM.  a missile designed to destroy an incoming ballistic missile before it reaches its target

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antiballistic missile Cultural  

1. A defensive missile, designed to destroy a ballistic missile in flight.

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Example Sentences

Ukraine is working on its own antiballistic missile defenses, and is trying to secure licenses from the U.S. to produce Patriot interceptors inside the country.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026

The center does real-time operational forecasting for the military, for example, at the antiballistic missile systems site at Fort Greely, Alaska, and has done the computer modeling that has helped improve forecasting of wildfire behavior.

From Slate • Dec. 18, 2025

President Richard Nixon disbanded his council of scientific advisers in 1973 after its views clashed with his plans for an antiballistic missile system and supersonic airliners.

From Science Magazine • Oct. 20, 2016

A factor that has loomed large for them in recent weeks is plans by Washington to deploy an antiballistic missile system, called Thaad, in South Korea.

From New York Times • Feb. 26, 2016

In 1974, a protocol was signed that reduced antiballistic missile sites to one per country, since neither country had yet begun to build its second system.

From Textbooks • Dec. 30, 2014