aircraft carrier

noun

Synonyms of aircraft carriernext
: a warship with a flight deck on which aircraft can be launched and landed

Examples of aircraft carrier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This image also appears to show China’s first-ever aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, moored nearby. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026 Offshore nuclear power sounds unusual, but naval submarines and aircraft carriers have run on small nuclear reactors for decades. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 The military is using tiny reactors in aircraft carriers and submarines, and has been for years. — Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Those attacks have also led to problems with resupplying Navy vessels, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which has drawn national attention for its extended deployment supporting operations in the Middle East. — Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aircraft carrier

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aircraft carrier was in 1917

Rhymes for aircraft carrier

See All Rhymes for aircraft carrier

Browse Nearby Words

aircraft
aircraft carrier
aircraft division
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Cite this Entry

“Aircraft carrier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aircraft%20carrier. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

aircraft carrier

noun
: a warship with a deck from which aircraft can take off and on which they can land

More from Merriam-Webster on aircraft carrier

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for aircraft carrier

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about aircraft carrier

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