intercontinental ballistic missile

American  

noun

1. any supersonic missile that has a range of at least 3500 nautical miles (6,500 km) and follows a ballistic trajectory after a powered, guided launching. ICBM, I.C.B.M.

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intercontinental ballistic missile British  

/ ˌɪntəˌkɒntɪˈnɛntəl /

noun

1.  ICBM.  a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and has the range to carry a nuclear bomb over 5500 km

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intercontinental ballistic missile Cultural  

1. A missile with a long range (five thousand miles or more) that carries nuclear warheads and can be launched from the ground or from submarines. (See also MIRV.)

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Etymology

Origin of intercontinental ballistic missile

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Strolling alongside her father in front of a towering intercontinental ballistic missile, she wore black trousers and a white padded jacket with her long hair tied back.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Ju Ae was publicly introduced to the world in 2022, when she accompanied her father to an intercontinental ballistic missile launch.

From Barron's • Jan. 2, 2026

She applies a forensic eye to what might happen in a handful of nerve centers if radar picked up an incoming intercontinental ballistic missile headed straight for the Midwest.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile is set to launch from the Santa Barbara County base sometime between 11:01 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2025

Each mission presented myriad pathways to disaster, starting with the notoriously temperamental Atlas rocket, a ninety-five-foot-high, 3.5-million-horsepower intercontinental ballistic missile that had been modified to propel the Mercury capsule into orbit.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• guided missile