Definition

Noun: 1. Anti-ballistic missile: A defensive weapon system designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles, particularly intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), before they can reach their targets.

Usage

• The treaty limited the number of ABM systems each country could deploy.
• Developing an effective ABM shield is a complex technological challenge.
• The discussion focused on the strategic implications of ABM deployment.

Advanced Usage

• The term is almost exclusively used in military, strategic, and geopolitical contexts concerning national defense and arms control.
• It is commonly used as an attributive noun (functioning like an adjective) to modify other nouns, such as ABM system, ABM technology, or ABM treaty.

Variants and Related Words

• ABM system: The complete installation, including missiles, radars, and command centers.
• Anti-ballistic missile: The full, non-acronym form of ABM.

Synonyms

• Anti-missile missile
• Interceptor missile

Notes on Meaning

• ABM is an acronym for "Anti-Ballistic Missile." It refers specifically to the defensive missile itself, though it is often used shorthand to refer to the broader defensive system.
• Its purpose is purely defensive, distinguishing it from offensive ballistic missiles.

Noun

1. a defensive missile designed to shoot down incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles
   • the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks placed limits on the deployment of ABMs