warhead

American  

[wawr-hed] / ˈwɔrˌhɛd /

noun

1. the forward section of a self-propelled missile, bomb, torpedo, or the like, containing the explosive, chemical, or atomic charge.

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warhead British  

/ ˈwɔːˌhɛd /

noun

1. the part of the fore end of a missile or projectile that contains explosives

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Etymology

Origin of warhead

First recorded in 1895–1900; war ¹ + head

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

warhead

Neros’s drones, called Archer, cost about $2,000 each and about $5,000 once the warhead and related equipment are added.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

The United States voiced alarm Monday over Beijing's nuclear program after China test-fired a dummy warhead into the Pacific Ocean, the latest move in its rapid military modernization.

From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026

In September 2024, China carried out its first intercontinental ballistic missile test in decades, launching a dummy warhead from Hainan island in southern China into waters near French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

He said the missile could carry a warhead more than four times more powerful than anything Western militaries possessed, adding that Sarmat would be on "combat duty" by the end of this year.

From Barron's ● May 12, 2026

Not the least of them was a prototype of Polaris, the submarine-based warhead for the navy, Livermore’s important new government patron.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik