airspace

noun

air·​space ˈer-ˌspās How to pronounce airspace (audio)
: the space lying above the earth or above a certain area of land or water
especially : the space lying above a nation and coming under its jurisdiction

Examples of airspace in a Sentence

seeking permission to fly through U.S. airspace
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.
Its deployment led to a seven-hour airspace shutdown near El Paso International Airport in Texas earlier this year. — Mike Stone, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Approximately 10,000 flights are expected to pass through the airspace during the trial periods. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 28 Aug. 2026 The deployment of that system led to a seven-hour airspace shutdown near Texas’ El Paso International Airport earlier this year. — Reuters, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 Prior to Ratcliffe’s trip, additional Russian drones entered NATO airspace, this time over Romania and Poland, and were shot down. — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for airspace

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of airspace was in 1911

Rhymes for airspace

See All Rhymes for airspace

Browse Nearby Words

air sleeve
airspace
airspace reservation
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Cite this Entry

“Airspace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airspace. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on airspace

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about airspace

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