Definition

Noun: 1. A point of sudden, large increase in aerodynamic drag and other physical effects experienced by an object as it approaches the speed of sound: This is the primary technical definition. It refers not to a physical wall but to the set of challenging aerodynamic phenomena, including a sharp rise in drag and the formation of shock waves, that occur near Mach 1 (the speed of sound). 2. (Informally) The speed of sound itself: In common usage, "the sound barrier" is often used to refer to the speed of sound (approximately 767 mph or 1,235 km/h at sea level), especially in the context of breaking or surpassing it.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Early jet pilots struggled to overcome the sound barrier due to violent buffeting and loss of control.
  • The rocket-powered Bell X-1 was the first aircraft to officially break the sound barrier.
  • The sonic boom is a direct result of an object passing through the sound barrier.

Advanced Usage

• "to break the sound barrier": To travel faster than the speed of sound.
  • The fighter jet accelerated smoothly to break the sound barrier.
• "to approach the sound barrier": To travel at speeds near, but not exceeding, the speed of sound.
  • As the plane approached the sound barrier, the controls became very stiff.

Variants and Related Words

• Sonic barrier (noun): A direct synonym for "sound barrier."
• Transonic (adjective): Referring to speeds close to the speed of sound, typically between Mach 0.8 and Mach 1.2, where the effects of the sound barrier are most pronounced.
  • Transonic flight is aerodynamically complex.
• Supersonic (adjective): Referring to speeds greater than the speed of sound (Mach > 1).
  • Supersonic travel creates a continuous sonic boom.

Synonyms

• Sonic barrier

Related Phrases

• Sound barrier is a fixed noun phrase. It does not have phrasal verb forms.

Related Idioms

• Break the sound barrier: While technically a description of a physical event, this phrase is sometimes used metaphorically to describe achieving something previously thought impossible or moving with incredible speed.
  • The new processor breaks the sound barrier for computing power.

Noun

1. the increase in aerodynamic drag as an airplane approaches the speed of sound