guided missile
guided missile
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "guided missile" is /ˈɡaɪdɪd ˈmɪsəl/.
gui (/ˈɡaɪ/) - The sound is a diphthong similar to the "eye" in "I" followed by a voiced alveolar stop /d/.
ded (/dɪd/) - The sound is a voiced alveolar stop /d/ followed by a short "i" sound as in "it," and another voiced alveolar stop /d/.
mis (/ˈmɪs/) - The sound is a voiced alveolar nasal stop /m/, followed by a short "i" sound, and a voiceless alveolar fricative /s/.
sile (/əl/) - The sound is a schwa /ə/ followed by a lateral approximant /l/.
Word Form Variations
Singular: guided missile
Plural: guided missiles
Hyphenated: guided-missile (used as an adjective, e.g., "a guided-missile destroyer")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A projectile weapon that uses an internal or external system to steer itself toward a pre-selected target after being launched. These weapons are typically used for military purposes against land, sea, or air targets and can carry a variety of warheads.
Synonyms: cruise missile, smart bomb, heat-seeking missile
Antonyms: unguided missile, ballistic missile (in a general sense, as many ballistic missiles are not guided after their initial launch phase)
Adjective
Definition 1: Describes a weapon or military system that is capable of launching or utilizing guided missiles.
Synonyms: missile-equipped, rocket-armed
Antonyms: unguided, conventional
Examples of Use
In News and Military Reports
"The U.S. Navy this week announced the deployment of a new guided-missile destroyer to the Pacific region to enhance its presence and deter potential adversaries."
During a conflict, a military spokesperson stated that "the hostile target was neutralized by a precision-guided missile, minimizing collateral damage to the surrounding area."
"Reports indicate that the rebels have acquired a new anti-tank guided missile system, raising concerns about the potential for escalating violence in the region." (The Wall Street Journal, January 2014)
The Russian company that manufactures the Buk air defense system, which is widely assumed to have been used to shoot down a Malaysian airliner in 2014, stated that the plane was hit by an "anti-aircraft guided missile" that exists in Ukraine's arsenal (Reuters, July 2025).
In General Public and Online Discourse
A user on a forum discussing military history wrote, "The development of the guided missile changed the nature of naval warfare forever, making it possible to hit targets far beyond the horizon."
A commenter on a news article about military technology quipped, "This new drone is basically a guided missile with wings and a camera."
In a blog post about science fiction films, a writer described a futuristic weapon as "essentially a miniature guided missile that can navigate through a crowded city."
In Entertainment and Fiction
In the film Top Gun: Maverick, a key scene involves the pilots evading a "surface-to-air guided missile" during a mission.
The video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare features a "guided missile" killstreak, allowing the player to control a missile's flight path to strike a target.
A character in a spy novel shouted, "Take cover! It's a guided missile!" as they witnessed a projectile veer sharply toward their position.
10 Famous Quotes Using Guided Missile
"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men." (Martin Luther King Jr.)
"The Twist was a guided missile launched from the ghetto into the heart of suburbia." (Eldridge Cleaver)
"What people are for is, we believe, like guided missiles, to home in on God, God who is the one truth it is infinitely worth knowing..." (G.E.M. Anscombe)
"Smiling is very important. It is not by going out for a demonstration against nuclear missiles that we can bring about peace. It is with our capacity of smiling, breathing, and being peace that we can make peace." (Thich Nhat Hanh)
"The United States has far more to offer the world than our bombs and missiles and our military technology." (Cynthia McKinney)
"The best missile defense system of all would be a just and lasting peace." (Hillary Clinton)
"For a fraction of the cost of one missile he could purchase on the open market every work the library needed to round out its rare books collection. Yet politicians believed that missiles kept you safe, whereas actually books did..." (David Baldacci)
"If it is your time, love will track you down like a cruise missile." (Lynda Barry)
"A riot is at bottom the language of the unheard." (Martin Luther King Jr.)
"The moral high ground is a lovely place. It won't stop a missile, though." (James S.A. Corey)
Etymology
The term "guided missile" is a combination of two words, "guided" and "missile," each with its own history.
"Missile" comes from the Latin word missilis, which meant "that may be thrown or hurled." This, in turn, is derived from the verb mittere, meaning "to send" or "to throw." The word "missile" entered the English language in the 17th century and was used to refer to any object thrown or shot, such as a rock, an arrow, or a spear. It wasn't until the 20th century that the word became primarily associated with self-propelled, explosive weapons.
"Guided" comes from the Old French word guider, meaning "to lead" or "to show the way." This word has Germanic roots. In English, it began to be used in the 14th century to describe the act of directing or controlling something.
The phrase "guided missile" first appeared in the early to mid-20th century, specifically during and after World War II. It was a time of rapid technological advancement in weaponry. Engineers and military strategists needed a new term to distinguish these advanced weapons from older, unguided projectiles like cannonballs or artillery shells. The "guided missile" was a revolutionary concept because, unlike its predecessors, it could be directed to a target after being launched. The term was a natural and descriptive way to explain this new technology: it was a "missile" that was being "guided."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Guided Missile
A human guided missile: This phrase is sometimes used to describe a person who is relentlessly and single-mindedly focused on a goal, much like a guided missile hones in on its target.
Headed for disaster like a guided missile: This idiom is used to describe a situation or person who is on an unavoidable and direct path toward a negative outcome.
Like a cruise missile: While not using the exact word, this is a common simile to describe something that is fast, precise, and unstoppable in its trajectory.
To have a guided missile mind: This is a less common, but original phrase that could describe someone with a sharp, logical, and unswayed approach to problem-solving.
To fire a figurative guided missile: This phrase could be used to describe the act of delivering a cutting or perfectly aimed insult or argument.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of guided missile from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
