: launched from the ground against a target in the air

Examples of surface-to-air 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.
All 176 passengers and crew members on board were killed by Iranian surface-to-air missiles that brought the Boeing 737 airliner down, with Iranian authorities at first covering up the tragedy. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026 Kupol, which makes drones and surface-to-air missiles, is the largest industrial enterprise in the Udmurtia region on the Volga River and more than doubled its output in 2025. — ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026 And reporting indicates China is sending Iran hundreds of surface-to-air missiles. — Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 23 Aug. 2026 Yet threats remain, including drone attacks and even surface-to-air missile attacks. — Philip Wang, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for surface-to-air

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of surface-to-air was in 1949

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surface-to-air.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surface-to-air. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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