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
Much of that guidance could be traced back to the World Health Organization, which stated early on, and unequivocally, that Covid-19 was not an airborne disease.
—
Megan Molteni, STAT, 18 Apr. 2024
Prolonged exposure to airborne asbestos fibers and dust can lead to a lung disease called asbestosis, which causes thickening and scarring of the lungs, resulting in difficulty breathing.
—Elizabeth B. Kim, The Enquirer, 7 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for airborne 
Megan Molteni, STAT, 18 Apr. 2024
Prolonged exposure to airborne asbestos fibers and dust can lead to a lung disease called asbestosis, which causes thickening and scarring of the lungs, resulting in difficulty breathing.
—Elizabeth B. Kim, The Enquirer, 7 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for airborne
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'airborne.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near airborne
Cite this Entry
“Airborne.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airborne. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
airborne
adjective
air·borne
ˈa(ə)r-ˌbōrn 
-ˌbȯrn,
ˈe(ə)r-
: supported or transported by air
airborne troops
Medical Definition
airborne
adjective
air·borne
-ˌbōrn
: carried or transported by the air
airborne allergens
airborne bacteria
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