splashdown

noun

splash·​down ˈsplash-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce splashdown (audio)
plural splashdowns
: the landing of a crewed spacecraft in the ocean
splash down intransitive verb

Examples of splashdown 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.
The late change to the mission's trajectory meant Atmos could not recover the spacecraft after splashdown. Abigail Bassett, ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025 His May 5, 1961 Mercury-Redstone 3 launch aboard the Freedom 7 capsule ended in a splashdown in The Bahamas, from where Bowe's family originates. Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2025 Wilmore and Williams, who made headlines after being stranded in space, made a successful splashdown hours after SpaceX Crew-9 undocked from the International Space Station at 1:05 a.m. Escher Walcott, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025 But an Orlando news station reported that the animal didn’t stick around for the capsule’s splashdown. Sara Ruberg, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for splashdown

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of splashdown was in 1959

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Cite this Entry

“Splashdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/splashdown. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

splashdown

noun
splash·​down ˈsplash-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce splashdown (audio)
: the landing of a spacecraft in the ocean

More from Merriam-Webster on splashdown

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