sonic boom

noun

1. a loud noise caused by the shock wave generated by an aircraft moving at supersonic speed.

sonic boom

noun

1. a loud explosive sound caused by the shock wave of an aircraft, etc, travelling at supersonic speed

sonic boom

1. A shock wave of compressed air caused by an aircraft traveling faster than the speed of sound. It is often audible as a loud, explosive sound, and it sometimes causes damage to structures on the ground.

sonic boom

¹

1. See boom, sonic.

boom, sonic

²

1. The sharp, explosive sound generated by an airplane traveling at speeds greater than the speed of sound. The sonic boom follows the aircraft much like a wake follows a ship.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sonic boom¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

A sonic boom occurs when an aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound, generating shockwaves that rapidly compress and decompress the air, producing an explosive noise.

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Jennifer Savage, a representative of the Surfrider Foundation, said Space Force is planning to proceed with the increase without providing the biological monitoring, sonic boom modeling or mitigation tracking needed to assess impacts.

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A loud boom and rattling were reported last month across a broad swath of the region due to a sonic boom from a SpaceX cargo vessel.

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A sonic boom caused by a SpaceX cargo vessel rattled Los Angeles late Saturday evening.

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Santi, meanwhile, knows he’s good; when he pummels a ball, it sounds like a sonic boom.

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Related Words

• shock wave