air traffic control

noun

: the process or system by which the movements of aircraft are monitored and directed by ground personnel communicating with pilots by radio
improving the technology used for air traffic control
also : the personnel who operate an air traffic control system
Pilots would still have to file flight plans, which could be modified by air traffic control if they posed any safety hazards. —David R. Hinson

Examples of air traffic control 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.
An Alaska Airlines flight preparing to depart Miami International Airport for Seattle reported a disturbance involving threats from customers Sunday evening, according to air traffic control audio. — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 Cummins is a former senior vice president at the government contractor Serco, which runs air traffic control towers at 60 American airports. — Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 The system included both radar and air traffic control operations. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026 Planes headed into and departing Minnesota and nine other Midwest states were being diverted or held on the ground Thursday due to a system outage at a Minneapolis air traffic control facility, the Federal Aviation Administration said. — Sam Sweeney, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for air traffic control

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of air traffic control was in 1919

Rhymes for air traffic control

See All Rhymes for air traffic control

Browse Nearby Words

air tower
air traffic control
air traffic controller
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Cite this Entry

“Air traffic control.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/air%20traffic%20control. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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