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.

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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

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ballistic More Idioms  

1. see go ballistic.

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Other Word Forms

• ballistically adverb

Etymology

Origin of ballistic

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

Example Sentences

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

Some large part of its ballistic missiles have been used, destroyed or damaged; its capacity to build more is nearly at an end.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The Israeli embassy in Manila said she was injured while leading her patient to safety, after a ballistic missile struck her apartment in Tel Aviv.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Defence experts believe North Korea is planning to use its solid-fuel rocket engines for launching intercontinental ballistic missiles.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

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

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers