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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
The capital's air raid sirens began sounding before midnight, and the threat lasted for more than nine hours, Popko said.
—
David Brennan, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2024
There were also air raid alarms and drone attacks at the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine nuclear power plants, as well as at the Chernobyl site, according to the IAEA.
—
Jennifer Hauser, CNN, 17 Aug. 2024
An air raid siren can be heard, followed by a big explosion and images of smoke rising.
—
Maayan Lubell, USA TODAY, 27 July 2024
There were no warning alarms in a city where residents are used to air raid sirens and alerts on their phones sending them to shelters.
—
Kelsey Ables, Washington Post, 19 July 2024
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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 12 Sep. 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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