air traffic control

noun

: the process or system by which the movements of aircraft are monitored and directed by ground personnel communicating with pilots by radio
improving the technology used for air traffic control
also : the personnel who operate an air traffic control system
Pilots would still have to file flight plans, which could be modified by air traffic control if they posed any safety hazards. —David R. Hinson

Examples of air traffic control in a Sentence

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.
Finally, the emergency physician called Washington’s Regional Medical Operations Coordination Center, or RMOCC — a kind of air traffic control for patient transfers that can match critically ill patients to available beds across a region. — Jonathan E. Kohler, STAT, 27 Oct. 2026 In May, another United Airlines flight bound for Minneapolis, Minnesota, made an emergency landing in Madison, Wisconsin, after a passenger allegedly attempted to storm the cockpit, according to air traffic control audio. — Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026 By needlessly politicizing air traffic control, both parties unwittingly make the case for privatization. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026 According to air traffic control audio, the pilots informed air traffic controllers ahead of landing that one person had a bloody nose and another person had bite marks and requested that medical personnel be waiting at the gate. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for air traffic control

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of air traffic control was in 1919

Rhymes for air traffic control

See All Rhymes for air traffic control

Browse Nearby Words

air tower
air traffic control
air traffic controller
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Cite this Entry

“Air traffic control.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/air%20traffic%20control. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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