cruise missile

American  

noun

1. a winged guided missile designed to deliver a conventional or nuclear warhead by flying at low altitudes to avoid detection by radar.

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cruise missile British  

noun

1. an air-breathing low-flying subsonic missile that is continuously powered and guided throughout its flight and carries a warhead

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cruise missile Cultural  

1. A military missile equipped with an onboard computer that allows it to guide itself on a preprogrammed course over long distances by sensing the terrain and comparing it to maps stored in its memory. (See smart weapons (see also smart weapons).)

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Cruise missiles first came into public awareness during the Persian Gulf War.

Compare meaning

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

• cruise missile vs. ballistic missile

Example Sentences

The New York Times has previously reported that the school was hit by a US Tomahawk cruise missile, a weapon which Iran does not possess.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Video footage clearly shows the damage was done by a Tomahawk cruise missile.

From Slate • Mar. 10, 2026

The Tomahawk is a type of long-range cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships and aircraft which has been in the US arsenal for decades.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

Moscow has also developed what it calls “novel” nuclear delivery systems, including an ICBM-mounted hypersonic glide vehicle, a nuclear-powered cruise missile, and a nuclear-capable autonomous underwater system.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 15, 2026

A stealthy aircraft bombing unimpededly is not distinct from a cruise missile fired at 1,000 miles regarding the effect of ordnance on target.

From Shock and Awe — Achieving Rapid Dominance by Wade, James P.