Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

break-the-sound-barrier

phrase

/breɪk ðə saʊnd ˈbæriər/

Definition

To travel faster than the speed of sound, typically referring to aircraft.

Examples

Once the pilot managed to break the sound barrier, it opened new possibilities for supersonic travel.
She was the first woman to break the sound barrier in a military jet.
The engineers celebrated when they successfully developed a spacecraft designed to break the sound barrier.

Meaning

This phrase is used to describe the achievement of crossing the speed of sound (approximately 343 meters per second or 1,125 feet per second at sea level), which was a significant milestone in aviation and aerospace.