cruise missile

noun

: a guided missile that has a terrain-following radar system and that flies at moderate speed and low altitude

Examples of cruise missile 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.
The Virginia Payload Tubes can each accommodate six Tomahawk cruise missiles, retaining a 12-missile capacity while using a different launcher arrangement. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026 That would, in turn, enable them to constantly search for drones, low-flying warplanes, and even cruise missiles flying in unpredictable trajectories. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 The Russian Defense Ministry said that its forces overnight struck a warehouse in the Kyiv region that stores Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missiles and fuel for rocket boosters. — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces overnight struck a warehouse in the Kyiv region that stores Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missiles and fuel for rocket boosters. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cruise missile

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cruise missile was in 1959

Rhymes for cruise missile

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Browse Nearby Words

cruise control
cruise missile
cruiser
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Cite this Entry

“Cruise missile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruise%20missile. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cruise missile

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cruise missile

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