supersonic

Meanings

1. 1adjectivenot comparable

   Traveling or able to travel faster than the speed of sound.

   Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: a supersonic jet; the plane is supersonic.

   Patterns

   • supersonic aircraft
   • supersonic speed
   • fly supersonic

   The supersonic jet crossed the Atlantic in under three hours.

   Only military planes are routinely supersonic.

   Engineers are designing a new supersonic airliner.

2. 2adjectivenot comparabletechnical

   Relating to speeds greater than that of sound.

   Grammar: Often used in technical phrases like supersonic flow or supersonic boom.

   Patterns

   • supersonic flow
   • supersonic boom

   The wind tunnel can produce supersonic airflow.

   Supersonic conditions create a shock wave around the nose of the craft.

Common combinations

supersonic jet

The supersonic jet left a loud boom behind it.

supersonic speed

The missile travels at supersonic speed.

go supersonic

The pilot waited for clearance to go supersonic.

supersonic flight

Supersonic flight over land is restricted in many countries.

Synonyms and how they differ

hypersonic

Hypersonic means much faster than sound, usually five times the speed of sound or more, so it is not a direct swap for supersonic.

ultrasonic

Ultrasonic describes sound waves above the range of human hearing and does not mean fast movement.

Opposites

Word family

supersonically adverb

In a supersonic way; at a speed faster than sound.

Commonly confused: supersonic or ultrasonic? supersonic or hypersonic?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “supersonic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words