Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

hypersonic

American  
[hahy-per-son-ik] / ˌhaɪ pərˈsɒn ɪk /

adjective

  1. noting or pertaining to speed that is at least five times that of sound in the same medium.

hypersonic British  
/ ˌhaɪpəˈsɒnɪk /

adjective

  1. concerned with or having a velocity of at least five times that of sound in the same medium under the same conditions

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
hypersonic Scientific  
/ hī′pər-sŏn′ĭk /

  1. Relating to or capable of speeds equal to or exceeding five times the speed of sound (Mach 5 and above).

  2. Compare subsonic supersonic transonic

Other Word Forms

  • hypersonics noun

Etymology

Origin of hypersonic

First recorded in 1935–40; hyper- + sonic

Compare meaning

How does hypersonic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

President Donald Trump last year ordered his administration to develop a plan for a space-based shield capable of intercepting ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles, which he dubbed the “Golden Dome.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

The Army is also developing a hypersonic missile with a range of over 1,000 miles that travels at five times the speed of sound.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

It has contracts with drug companies and also the military, which tests technology at hypersonic speeds as the capsules return to Earth.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

Stratolaunch makes reusable hypersonic test aircraft, which are integral for the Defense Department’s lower-cost tests of aircraft and weapons that travel at least five times the speed of sound.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

The most visionary of the brain busters pined for the day when a pilot could take one of their creations for a hypersonic joy ride: Mach 5 or faster.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.