Do you need some words to describe a moving aircraft that you can use in your writing? We’ve got 21 words for you below. Scroll down to learn more!
1. Drifted
Definition
Something that’s carried by water or wind.
Examples
“The captain turned the plane engines off and drifted with the strong wind.”
“As the plane drifted across the sky, people stopped to look and take pictures from the ground.”
2. Hovered
Definition
To stay in the same position in the air without moving backward or forwards.
Examples
“She’d never seen a commercial aircraft hover before, and the sight took her breath away. It was so unnatural.”
“The private jet hovered in the sky while waiting for clearance to land.”
3. Flew
Definition
When something moves through the air.
Examples
“The jumbo jet regularly flew from New York to London, proving its ability to make long-distance journeys with ease.”
“He flew the helicopter across the Alps to catch a glimpse of the snow-coated mountains. It was a phenomenal ride.”
4. Zipped
Definition
Something that moves somewhere very quickly.
Examples
“She clutched her seatbelt as the airplane zipped through the clouds. It was the fastest she’d ever traveled in the air.”
“The fighter jet zipped between the mountains to avoid being detected by enemy radars.”
5. Darted
Definition
To move very suddenly and with speed.
Examples
“The aircraft shocked its passengers as it darted from the airbridge with a jolt.”
“He couldn’t believe his eyes as the tiny plane darted through the clouds above him.”
6. Glided
Definition
To move in an effortless, smooth, and silent manner.
Examples
“The winds were so smooth that the planeglided through the air without friction.”
“She wished her plane had glided into its landing, but in reality, it had crashed onto the tarmac with a deafening thud.”
7. Swooped
Definition
When something that’s flying suddenly moves downwards in a curved movement.
Examples
“The pilot decided to swoop down to see the view without any obscuring clouds.”
“She could see the fighter jet more clearly after it swooped down from the cloud cover.”
8. Searched
Definition
To look carefully for someone or something.
Examples
“The helicopter thoroughly searched for the missing hikers, but it seemed like they’d disappeared into the mountains for good.”
“The commercial plane usually found a landing spot without stress, but this time it had to search for fifteen minutes.”
9. Tailgated
Definition
To drive or move very closely behind another vehicle.
Examples
“The second jet tailgated the first, ensuring they didn’t lose each other in the thick smog.”
“The pilot was shocked to discover he was being tailgated by another commercial aircraft.”
10. Emerged
Definition
Something that appears in view from a hidden location.
Examples
“She gasped as the jumbo jet emerged through the clouds. She’d wanted to see this plane in person since she was a little girl.”
“Though it was his 100th time plane spotting, he still got chills when planes emerged from the clouds and onto the landing strip.”
11. Surfaced
Definition
To come to the surface of something (i.e., water or clouds.)
Examples
“The tiny jet surfaced above the clouds seconds after takeoff.”
“As the plane surfaced from the clouds, the passengers admired the unbelievable view. It was like entering a whole new world.”
12. Plummeted
Definition
Something that falls very quickly to the ground from a large height.
Examples
“He could see the plane plummeting on the radar, but there was nothing he could do to help.”
“The pilot prayed that the aircraft wouldn’t plummet, and he did his best to keep his crew reassured.”
13. Plunged
Definition
To rush or fall in a particular direction.
Examples
“The plane plunged uncontrollably towards the ground while the passengers screamed in terror.”
“After the engine suddenly burst into flames, the aircraft lost control and plunged 30,000ft to the ground.”
14. Shook
Definition
When something moved back and forth quickly.
Examples
“The turbulence caused the plane to shake vigorously, and the passengers were visibly distressed.”
“He secretly enjoyed it when the plane shook, even though it wasn’t usually a good sign. But he kept his unusual thoughts to himself.”
15. Raced
Definition
To take part in a race against another party.
Examples
“After the pistol sounded, both jets raced towards the finish line with astounding speed.”
“The aircraft raced across the sky in order to get the best parking spot at London Heathrow.”
16. Turned
Definition
To move to face the opposite or different direction than before.
Examples
“The aircraft turned to travel north after the last-minute change of directions from air traffic control.”
“She watched as the plane turned in the sky to prepare for landing. It was an awesome sight to watch, even from so far away.
17. Entered
Definition
The process of going into a building or room.
Examples
“The plane entered the hangar at a snail’s pace. The pilot made sure to drive as slowly as possible to avoid any mishaps.”
“As the jet entered international airspace, it sped up in order to pass through as quickly as possible.”
18. Rocked
Definition
When something moves slowly from side to side or backward and forwards.
Examples
“The airbus gently rocked in the winds, and none of the passengers seemed bothered by this extra movement.”
“She thought she saw the plane rocking in the sky, but that couldn’t be right. The winds were too soft today.”
19. Crashed
Definition
When a moving vehicle hits something and is destroyed or damaged.
Examples
“The helicopter crashed into a rocky outcrop while flying above the Himalayas. Sadly, the pilot hadn’t seen the mountain through the clouds.
“He clutched his armrest for dear life as the commercial airbus crashed into the field with a great bang.”
20. Circled
Definition
To move around in circles in the air.
Examples
“The jumbo jet circled over Los Angeles for nearly one hour before being approved to land.”
“To find the lost hikers, the helicopter circled over the national park with its searchlights on.”
21. Rushed
Definition
To go somewhere quickly and as soon as possible.
Examples
“The plane rushed into landing mode to avoid colliding with another aircraft. It was a near miss, and passengers were petrified.”
“As the plane rushed into the air, he thought to himself that he’d never seen a pilot in such a hurry before.”