missile

noun

Definition of missilenext
as in ammunition
an object that is thrown, shot, or launched as a weapon The protesters were arrested for throwing missiles at the police.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of missile The ultimate goal is to create a premium tier interceptor missile that can deal with hypersonic threats while keeping costs down, though the company admits economics are of secondary priority at this phase. — New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026 Saudi Arabia has one of the world’s most expensive and sophisticated arsenals, filled with American warplanes, missile defenses and other cutting-edge technology. — NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026 The attacks are exposing gaps in Saudi Arabia’s defenses and a depleted stockpile of missile interceptors. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026 In both wars, external support has made sustained air and missile strike campaigns far less likely to result in political capitulation, or economic or military collapse. — Justin Bronk, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for missile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for missile
  1. ammunition
  2. shot
  3. bullet
  4. round
  5. projectile
  6. ball
Noun
  • Investigators later seized three guns and ammunition from Bjornholt’s home.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Paporakis had hundreds of rounds of rifle ammunition and a manifesto expressing white supremacist and extremist ideologies, police said.
    — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of ammunition
Noun
  • The incident occurred along the 3700 block of Gardenia Avenue, where police received a call about two shots being fired in a nearby residence, Long Beach Police said in a statement.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The pass coverage was solid all day, sans the deep shot to Johnston early in the third quarter.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of shot
Noun
  • Moments after driving away, the occupants realized Valdes had been struck in the abdomen by a stray bullet.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • A couple of years later, in his major studio debut, Abrams worked alongside Ryan Gosling in Gangster Squad until his shoeshine boy character caught a bullet during a mob ambush near a newsstand.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of bullet
Noun
  • Trace raised $3 million in a seed round led by Serena Ventures, with participation from Shakti VC.
    — Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The Heat traded up to acquire Conwell, 22, with the 37th overall selection in the second round of this year’s draft in June.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of round
Noun
  • The merchant vessel Cape Dao, registered under Antigua and Barbuda, also sank, according to data from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Wednesday – after it was first hit by projectile on September 23.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Those systems are used in part for early warnings when Russia launches a projectile.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of projectile
Noun
  • Antetokounmpo also blocked a Noah Clowney dunk attempt a few minutes later, and then got the ball back for a spinning finger roll on the other end.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • What is a ball maze if not a puzzle that looks like a roadmap?
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ball

Browse Nearby Words

missies
missile
missiles
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Missile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missile. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on missile

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about missile

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All