ballistic missile

American  

noun

Rocketry.

1. any missile that, after being launched and possibly guided during takeoff, travels unpowered in a ballistic trajectory.

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ballistic missile British  

noun

1. a missile that has no wings or fins and that follows a ballistic trajectory when its propulsive power is discontinued

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Etymology

Origin of ballistic missile

First recorded in 1950–55

Compare meaning

How does ballistic-missile compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cruise missile vs. ballistic missile

Example Sentences

It did not say which, but Centcom later said a ballistic missile had been intercepted over Kuwait, where the US has several bases.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

South Korea said on Tuesday the North fired several projectiles, including a ballistic missile, off its west coast, the latest in a flurry of tests this year.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

But Iran has proved to be a resilient foe, and some U.S. government analysts project that Iran could still field some of its ballistic missile launchers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

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

It put the world on notice that North Korea was moving ever closer to having the ability to strike the continental United States with a nuclear-armed ballistic missile.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• intercontinental ballistic missile
• surface-to-air missile