air raid

noun

Synonyms of air raidnext
: 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
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.
Visitors received multiple air raid alert notifications on their phones throughout the weekend. — ABC News, 5 July 2026 One resident of Sevastopol told CNN the city air raid alerts had become more regular in recent weeks, with several daily. — Zahra Ullah, CNN Money, 26 June 2026 Nearly 200 drones were reportedly used in the attack, marking Ukraine’s biggest-ever air raid on Russia’s capital. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 19 June 2026 Once, toward the end of WWII, when my father and grandmother were in an air raid shelter, a few Russian soldiers came in, sat in the middle of the room and started cleaning their rifles. — Alex Poppe, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for air raid

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of air raid was in 1909

Rhymes for air raid

See All Rhymes for air raid

Browse Nearby Words

air rage
air raid
air receiver
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Air raid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/air%20raid. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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

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