ballistic
adjective
bal·lis·tic
bə-ˈli-stik
1
: of or relating to the science of the motion of projectiles in flight
ballistic evidence
see also ballistic missile
2
: extremely and usually suddenly excited, upset, or angry : wild
He went ballistic when he saw the dent in his car.
and the crowd goes ballistic
3
exercise
: being or characterized by repeated bouncing
ballistic stretching
4
physics, of an object in motion
: behaving like a projectile
But the Bell Labs switch uses such a low current that the few ballistic electrons are a distance of a micrometer or more apart …—Robert Pool
5
of a material
: capable of resisting or stopping bullets or other projectiles
ballistic glass
ballistic nylon
… engineered specifically to be worn under ballistic vests and shirts.—K. M. Reese
Cite this Entry
“Ballistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballistic. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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