airborne

adjective

air·​borne ˈer-ˌbȯrn How to pronounce airborne (audio)
1
: done or being in the air : being off the ground: such as
a
: carried through the air (as by an aircraft)
b
: supported especially by aerodynamic forces or propelled through the air by force
a plane becoming airborne
c
: transported or carried by the air
airborne allergens
2
: trained for deployment by air and especially by parachute
airborne troops

Examples of airborne in a Sentence

Once the plane was airborne I loosened my seat belt. Thousands of airborne troops parachuted behind enemy lines.
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.
Teräväinen, 31, was inches from blocking the airborne puck that Connor McDavid passed to Nathan MacKinnon for the winning goal that sent Canada past Finland and into the gold-medal game. Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026 According to the criminal complaint, officers were called to the scene after someone reported an SUV, which had been driving very fast, had gone airborne. Chloe Rosen, CBS News, 23 May 2026 This enables much heavier aircraft to get airborne from the flight deck, meaning more fuel and weapons can be launched per aircraft. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 23 May 2026 State police said early on that there was no threat to the public and that investigators did not believe the substance that caused the responders to become sick was airborne. ABC News, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for airborne

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of airborne was in 1637

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Airborne.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airborne. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

airborne

adjective
air·​borne ˈa(ə)r-ˌbōrn How to pronounce airborne (audio)
-ˌbȯrn
ˈe(ə)r-
: supported or transported by air
airborne troops

Medical Definition

airborne

adjective
air·​borne -ˌbōrn How to pronounce airborne (audio)
: carried or transported by the air
airborne allergens
airborne bacteria

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