ballistic

American  

[buh-lis-tik] / bəˈlɪs tɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to ballistics.

2. having its motion determined or describable by the laws of exterior ballistics.

---

idioms

1. go ballistic, to become overwrought or irrational.

   went ballistic over the idea of a tax hike.

ballistic British  

/ bəˈlɪstɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to ballistics

2. denoting or relating to the flight of projectiles after power has been cut off, moving under their own momentum and the external forces of gravity and air resistance

3. (of a measurement or measuring instrument) depending on a brief impulse or current that causes a movement related to the quantity to be measured

   a ballistic pendulum

4. informal to become enraged or frenziedly violent

5. (of materials) strong enough to resist damage by projectile weapons

   ballistic nylon

---

ballistic More Idioms  

1. see go ballistic.

---

Other Word Forms

• ballistically adverb

Etymology

Origin of ballistic

First recorded in 1765–75; ballist(a) + -ic

Example Sentences

But “the United States knows our red lines in terms of nuclear disarmament, proxies, ballistic missile production,” the Israeli official said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Iran should suspend ballistic missile development, stop production of long-range missiles and end drone transfers and military exports to proxies and allies around the Middle East.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

On the eve of the 12-day war, Israel believed Iran had 2,500 or 3,000 ballistic missiles and would soon be able to mass-produce more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Claim: “They were also rapidly building a vast stockpile of conventional ballistic missiles and would have soon had missiles that could reach the American homeland, Europe, and virtually any other place on earth.”

From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026

When I got a hold of the picture, I went ballistic.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers