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.
That capability became more important in March, when Pratt & Whitney received a follow-on contract from Leidos Dynetics to supply TJ150 engines for the AGM-190A small cruise missile. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026 Ukrainian officials said the vessel, which was carrying corn, was struck by three cruise missiles and caught fire. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026 The strikes included the use of 38 Iskander ballistic missiles and six Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, according to open-source intelligence, both of which are particularly difficult to intercept. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 19 July 2026 Last summer, Fire Point unveiled its first cruise missile, the Flamingo, and now produces up to three of them a day. — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 17 July 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 31 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cruise missile

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cruise missile

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