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
Black carbon from industrial sources, like from burning fossil fuels, are smaller and can be transported even longer distances and can remain airborne for a longer time.
—
Isabel Lopez, Parents, 11 Feb. 2026
Heather Lewis Once the truck moved, DeOrzio accelerated his patrol vehicle and struck Rich, who went airborne and landed several feet away.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Throughout the airborne maneuver, the robot remains controlled, absorbing impact on landing rather than collapsing, reports Techeblog.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Returning to that airborne city observer, what CellTransformer does is the equivalent of holding up a thumb to the window to block one building, and then predicting its type.
—Amber Dance, Quanta Magazine, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for airborne
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Isabel Lopez, Parents, 11 Feb. 2026
Heather Lewis Once the truck moved, DeOrzio accelerated his patrol vehicle and struck Rich, who went airborne and landed several feet away.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Throughout the airborne maneuver, the robot remains controlled, absorbing impact on landing rather than collapsing, reports Techeblog.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Returning to that airborne city observer, what CellTransformer does is the equivalent of holding up a thumb to the window to block one building, and then predicting its type.
—Amber Dance, Quanta Magazine, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for airborne
Cite this Entry
“Airborne.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airborne. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
airborne
adjective
air·borne
ˈa(ə)r-ˌbōrn 
-ˌbȯrn,
ˈe(ə)r-
: supported or transported by air
airborne troops
Medical Definition
airborne
adjective
air·borne
-ˌbōrn
: carried or transported by the air
airborne allergens
airborne bacteria
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