airman

noun

air·man ˈer-mən

plural airmen

Synonyms of airman

: a civilian or military pilot, aviator, or aviation technician

: an enlisted person in the air force: such as

: an enlisted person of one of the four ranks below senior airman

: an enlisted person ranking above an airman basic and below an airman first class

Examples of airman in a Sentence

her father was an airman who was shot down in Vietnam

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.

Save for Snoopy, the military airman in literature is perhaps most famously personified by John Yossarian in Joseph Heller’s Catch‑22, a book Zinn would someday count among his favorites. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 There was a very real chance the bus could continue to slide, but Lara and four other soldiers and airmen rushed to help as the scene descended into chaos. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 9 Aug. 2026 At the same time, the service’s 51st Fighter Wing took measures to integrate more closely with South Korean airmen in practice combat drills. — Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The Army suspended the airmen and launched a formal safety investigation—but the Pentagon overrode Army leadership, immediately lifting the suspension and terminating the safety review. — Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for airman

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of airman was in 1873

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Airman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airman. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

airman

noun

air·man -mən

: pilot entry 1 sense 3, aviator

: an enlisted person in the air force

: an enlisted person in the air force with a rank below that of sergeant

especially : one with the rank just below that of airman first class

airman

noun

Synonyms of airman

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Word History

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airman

noun

Synonyms of airman

Examples of airman in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing airman

Rhymes for airman

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on airman

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