aircraft

noun

air·​craft ˈer-ˌkraft How to pronounce aircraft (audio)
plural aircraft
Synonyms of aircraftnext
often attributive
: a vehicle (such as an airplane or balloon) for traveling through the air

Examples of aircraft in a Sentence

a company that manufactures aircraft
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.
Despite the help from aircraft, law enforcement could not locate the suspects after searching all of the rail cars investigators believed the burglars entered. — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 Even thin ash can damage aircraft engines, potentially grounding flights across large areas. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026 All three Cabinet members were aware that Trump had secretly switched from the old Air Force One jet to the military aircraft given the threat, sources said. — Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 Flames shot out of an American Airlines plane that struck birds while taking off from Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, forcing the aircraft to turn back and make an emergency landing. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aircraft

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aircraft was in 1845

Phrases Containing aircraft

Rhymes for aircraft

See All Rhymes for aircraft

Browse Nearby Words

air cover
aircraft
aircraft carrier
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Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

aircraft

noun
air·​craft ˈa(ə)r-ˌkraft How to pronounce aircraft (audio)
ˈe(ə)r-
plural aircraft
: a machine (as an airplane, glider, or helicopter) that can travel through the air and that is supported either by its own buoyancy or by the action of the air against its surfaces
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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