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

The Navy is working on its first tactical nuclear warhead since the 1980s.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

The Flamingo can fly for over 1,800 miles and carry a warhead of over 2,500 lbs, outmatching the Scalp in range and payload.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

"Although reportedly carrying a dummy warhead, no nation understands the weight of nuclear testing in Pacific waters better than ours," the statement added.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

On the evening of October 21, they found something new: a nuclear warhead storage bunker.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

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