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

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Compare meaning

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

• cruise missile vs. ballistic missile

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ballistic missile

The ballistic missile strikes launched on Haradh and Dhahran in the Eastern Province had been intercepted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

The Saudi-led military coalition said a ballistic missile had been intercepted and destroyed.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Japan's defence ministry separately confirmed the launch of at least one suspected ballistic missile.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

Separately, debris discovered in Yemen indicates that Saudi Arabia has fired a Chinese-made ballistic missile in combat for the first time.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 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

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Related Words

• intercontinental ballistic missile
• surface-to-air missile

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