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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
Overnight and into Wednesday morning, air raid alerts warned of incoming attack drones for most of the country.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 21 Nov. 2024
Its namesake was an aircraft carrier that launched the air raid on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, which led the U.S. to declare war on Japan.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Israeli air raids against Iran did not trigger a crippling response from Iran’s proxies in Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq or Yemen.
—Abigail Williams, NBC News, 9 Dec. 2024
The sound of air raid sirens, especially at night, kept people awake for days on end.
—Gregory Wakeman, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2024
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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 18 Jan. 2025.
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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