launchpads

noun

plural of launchpad
as in airports
an area from which a rocket is launched
—often used figuratively The TV cameras were focused on the launchpad as the time for liftoff approached. The program she hosted on local radio was the launchpad for her network career.

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of launchpads With history, culture, and great places to eat, these quaint spots are ideal launchpads for exploring the natural beauty of the Golden State. — Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026 The room is supposed to be a charming gathering nook where my family can hang out, not a control room outfitted with complex launchpads. — Jill Kargman, Architectural Digest, 16 June 2026 At that point, SpaceX had two launchpads, allowing the company to return to flight in January 2017. — Wendy Whitman Cobb, The Conversation, 29 May 2026 Gates 5 and 10 are the only launchpads for more than 10 percent of Kentucky Derby winners. — Peter Keating, New York Times, 1 May 2026 College graduates earn significantly higher lifetime incomes, have access to better healthcare, and are far more likely to achieve upward social mobility — because their degrees serve as proxies for experience and are favored by employers, these credentials are career launchpads. — CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026 The majority of the biggest rounds across the sector have been for startups based in those two countries, with both emerging as key launchpads into new markets and battlefield training. — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025 Once reliable job launchpads in gateway fields such as finance, consulting, and journalism now routinely demand two or more years of prior experience. — Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Or the way Karl Lagerfeld turned Grand Palais into supermarkets, icebergs, and rocket launchpads. — Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for launchpads
  1. airports
  2. pads
  3. airfields
  4. aerodromes
Noun
  • European regulations are already creating a growing market, with the EU’s ReFuelEU Aviation rules requiring SAF to account for 2% of aviation fuel supplied at EU airports in 2025, increasing to 6% in 2030 and 70% by 2050.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The drones are not remotely controlled but are overseen by on-site flight monitors who track airspace and work with local airports.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of airports
Noun
  • Diego Rodriguez’s work uniform as a photographer consists of knee pads, a camera and a lanyard strung with animal call whistles.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Jonas thinks SpaceX needs just eight pads to reach his 2040 forecast.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of pads
Noun
  • Ukraine struck Russian oil facilities, airfields, logistics and infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post on Wednesday, referring to attacks over the previous 24 hours.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile provides long-range strike capability against command centers, air defenses, communications sites, airfields, and logistics facilities.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of airfields
Noun
  • The former often requires irregular cargo like radar systems, missile launchers, helicopters, engineering gear, bridge-laying equipment, etc, delivered to areas with no existing aerodromes.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 5 July 2026
Definition of aerodromes

Browse Nearby Words

launchpad
launchpads
launder
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Launchpads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/launchpads. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All