ballistic missile

noun

Rocketry.

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

ballistic missile

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballistic missile¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

A weapons smuggler, who used a fishing boat to ship ballistic missile parts from Iran to Houthi rebels in Yemen, has been sentenced to 40 years in a US prison.

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But Mr. Putin has been lobbing cruise and ballistic missiles at Ukraine for years, and there’s nothing escalatory about return fire.

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Since the start of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas this week, the Houthis have halted their frequent drone and ballistic missile attacks against Israel.

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In a successful December test of the developing system, U.S. forces shot down a medium-range ballistic missile off the coast.

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He explained that air defense systems now have to account for drones in addition to aircraft and inbound ballistic missiles.

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Related Words

• intercontinental ballistic missile 
• surface-to-air missile www.thesaurus.com