Synonyms

warhead

American

[wawr-hed] / ˈwɔrˌhɛd /

noun

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

warhead British

/ ˈwɔːˌhɛd /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of warhead

First recorded in 1895–1900; war ¹ + head

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.

See Examples For:

warhead

Iran has claimed it has a maneuverable re-entry warhead to evade air defenses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

The nuclear-capable missile fitted with a dummy warhead landed somewhere between Nauru, Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands, according to monitors and Pacific officials.

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

A Chinese submarine test-fired a missile carrying a dummy warhead on Monday, with monitors saying the rocket appeared to land in a patch of ocean somewhere between Solomon Islands, Nauru and Tuvalu.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

Monday, carrying a simulated warhead to a designated area in the Pacific Ocean, said Senior Captain Wang Xuemeng, a spokesman for China’s navy, according to state media.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

When it launched on June 9, 1959, the stealthy sub carried sixteen nuclear-tipped missiles capable of hurling a warhead 1,300 miles.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023