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air raid
noun
: an attack by armed airplanes on a surface target
—usually hyphenated when used attributively
air-raid shelter
Examples of air raid in a Sentence
Much of the city was destroyed in an air raid.
Recent Examples on the Web
On Wednesday, air raid alarms blared through Ukrainian cities and villages for several hours in the early morning, sending people scrambling for shelter and checking official social media channels to find out which Russian missiles were hurtling toward them.
—Constant Méheut, New York Times, 8 May 2024
During the war, Allied forces conducted more than 30 air raids on Mainz, according to CBS Sports’ Pardeep Cattry.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 May 2024
At the end of the tour, visitors climb down a steep staircase into the unfinished bunker, where curators have added sounds and ground vibrations to simulate the experience of an air raid.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2024
In the regional center of Belgorod, a Russian city with a population of more than 300,000, which lies just 40 km (25 miles) from the border, a Reuters reporter said air raid sirens had become an almost daily occurrence.
—Andy Carey, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024
Volodymyr, a relative, said the family usually hid in the garden cellar when there were air raids.
—Carlotta Gall Lynsey Addario, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2024
Booms and air raid sirens sounded across Israel early Sunday after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East closer to a regionwide war.
—Joseph Federman, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2024
Instead, air raid alarms would be sent directly to mobile devices.
—Siobhán O'Grady, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
The rescue came amid an overnight air raid on the southern town of Rafah, which is packed with some 1.4 million people, most of whom fled their homes elsewhere in Gaza to escape fighting.
—Bradford Betz, Fox News, 12 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'air raid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1909, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near air raid
Cite this Entry
“Air raid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/air%20raid. Accessed 23 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
air raid
noun
: an attack by armed airplanes on a surface target
More from Merriam-Webster on air raid
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for air raid
Britannica English: Translation of air raid for Arabic Speakers
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