airborne

adjective

air·​borne ˈer-ˌbȯrn How to pronounce airborne (audio)
1
: done or being in the air : being off the ground: such as
a
: carried through the air (as by an aircraft)
b
: supported especially by aerodynamic forces or propelled through the air by force
a plane becoming airborne
c
: transported or carried by the air
airborne allergens
2
: trained for deployment by air and especially by parachute
airborne troops

Examples of airborne in a Sentence

Once the plane was airborne I loosened my seat belt. Thousands of airborne troops parachuted behind enemy lines.
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.
Uber Eats has also moved toward drone deliveries, while other companies continue testing robots and airborne delivery systems. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Covid-19 wasn’t immediately recognized as a disease with airborne transmission with the potential to spread beyond the 6-foot social distancing measure, especially in places with poor ventilation or around activities with heavy breathing. — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 The campaign marks one of the clearest demonstrations yet of a closed-loop airborne autonomy system. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2026 Once airborne, dragonflies reach their peak speed in one or two wing beats. — Rachel Sargent Mirus, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for airborne

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of airborne was in 1637

Rhymes for airborne

See All Rhymes for airborne

Browse Nearby Words

airboat
airborne
air boss
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Airborne.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airborne. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

airborne

adjective
air·​borne ˈa(ə)r-ˌbōrn How to pronounce airborne (audio)
-ˌbȯrn, 
ˈe(ə)r-
: supported or transported by air
airborne troops

Medical Definition

airborne

adjective
air·​borne -ˌbōrn How to pronounce airborne (audio)
: carried or transported by the air
airborne allergens
airborne bacteria

More from Merriam-Webster on airborne

Nglish: Translation of airborne for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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