supersonic
Americanadjective
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greater than the speed of sound waves through air.
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capable of achieving such speed.
a supersonic plane.
adjective
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Having a speed greater than that of sound in a designated medium, usually air; having a speed greater than Mach 1.
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Compare hypersonic subsonic transonic
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of supersonic
Compare meaning
How does supersonic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
It’s faster than the speed of sound, it’s supersonic! Seriously. Supersonic describes things that can travel faster than the speed of sound, like the passenger jet Concorde that used to zip from New York to London in under four hours. Anything supersonic is so fast that you see it before you hear it. A high-speed fighter jet is supersonic, but there aren't any supersonic passenger planes since Concorde's retirement in 2003. Space shuttles and modern bullets are still supersonic. Originally, the word supersonic meant "having to do with sound waves beyond human hearing," but by 1934 it described movement exceeding the speed of sound, with ultrasonic taking on the old meaning. Sonic comes from the Latin sonus, or "sound."
Vocabulary lists containing supersonic
Common Senses: Son ("Sound")
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for March 16–March 22, 2024
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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.
The tri-national Global Combat Air Programme, launched in 2022, aims to develop a supersonic sixth-generation stealth fighter by 2035, replacing the Eurofighter Typhoon used by some European countries.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Even so, not every flight will take place at supersonic speed.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026
A conventional supersonic chase aircraft will accompany the X-59, and the louder sonic booms produced by the chase plane will mask any quieter sound generated by the experimental jet.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026
Beyond supersonic travel lies hypersonic travel, which involves flying at Mach 5 or above and comes with intense thermal challenges that have yet to be resolved.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
“I should be careful. I’m sure she has supersonic hearing, too.”
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
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.
