plural flybys
1
: a prearranged usually low-altitude flight by one or more airplanes over a public gathering (such as an air show)
2
a
: a flight of a spacecraft past a celestial body (such as Mars) close enough to obtain scientific data
b
: a spacecraft that makes a flyby
Examples of flyby in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The programs pegged for closure include one designed to return the first soil sample from Mars and phasing out NASA’s massive Space Launch System moon rocket — which powered the Artemis II lunar flyby mission earlier this month — in favor of commercial rocket options.
—
Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Williams also spoke about the recent Artemis II mission, which saw astronauts make a lunar flyby, their first one in 50 years, according to NASA's website.
—Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
The 2029 flyby presents an unprecedented opportunity for scientists to study a near-Earth asteroid.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
If that estimate is correct, then the asteroid's 2029 flyby will be the first of its kind in history to be closely observed with modern technology.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flyby
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.
Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Williams also spoke about the recent Artemis II mission, which saw astronauts make a lunar flyby, their first one in 50 years, according to NASA's website.
—Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
The 2029 flyby presents an unprecedented opportunity for scientists to study a near-Earth asteroid.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
If that estimate is correct, then the asteroid's 2029 flyby will be the first of its kind in history to be closely observed with modern technology.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flyby
Cite this Entry
“Flyby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flyby. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
flyby
noun
fly·by
-ˌbī 
plural flybys
1
: a usually low-altitude flight past a chosen place by one or more aircraft
2
a
: a flight of a spacecraft past a heavenly body (as Mars) close enough to obtain scientific information
b
: a spacecraft that makes a flyby
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
