air alert
Americannoun
-
the act of flying while waiting for combat orders or for enemy airplanes to appear.
-
the signal to take stations for such action.
noun
-
the condition in which combat aircraft are airborne and ready for an operation
-
a signal to prepare for this
Etymology
Origin of air alert
First recorded in 1940–45
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ada, 36, is strolling on the beach, unfazed by the wail of air alert sirens mingling with the squawking of seagulls.
From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026
Ukraine's air force also announced a countrywide air alert in the early hours of Saturday and said on social media that drones and missiles were moving over several Ukrainian regions, including the capital.
From Barron's • Dec. 26, 2025
"The air alert in Odesa lasted for three-and-a-half hours," Kiper said.
From Reuters • Oct. 6, 2023
That’s especially true for Ukrainian parents like Dmytro and Yulia Kravchenko, who leap to check on 18-month-old Mikhail whenever an air alert sounds.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 5, 2023
When the dangers from the skies pass, Hamill announces via the app that “the air alert is over.”
From Seattle Times • Mar. 27, 2023
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
