impactor
noun
im·pac·tor
im-ˈpak-tər 
variants
or impacter
1
: a machine (such as a steam or air hammer or a pile driver) or part that operates by striking blows
2
Examples of impactor in a Sentence
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Earth’s moon, for example, is thought to have formed from a Mars-sized impactor striking our planet when our world was between 60 million and 140 million years old.
—
Jenna Ahart, Scientific American, 9 June 2026
The simulated collision matched a roughly 17-kilometer-wide impactor slamming into Mercury at speeds of up to 30 kilometers per second, generating a dense, temporary atmosphere rich in water vapor around the planet, the team reports in the new study.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 28 May 2026
These asteroids, known as imminent impactors, mostly burn up in our atmosphere, producing brilliant fireballs in the sky.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 May 2026
The asteroid that reshaped the moon One key detail involved whether the impactor was differentiated.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for impactor
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Jenna Ahart, Scientific American, 9 June 2026
The simulated collision matched a roughly 17-kilometer-wide impactor slamming into Mercury at speeds of up to 30 kilometers per second, generating a dense, temporary atmosphere rich in water vapor around the planet, the team reports in the new study.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 28 May 2026
These asteroids, known as imminent impactors, mostly burn up in our atmosphere, producing brilliant fireballs in the sky.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 May 2026
The asteroid that reshaped the moon One key detail involved whether the impactor was differentiated.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for impactor
Cite this Entry
“Impactor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impactor. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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