liftoff

noun

ˈlift-ˌȯf How to pronounce liftoff (audio)
Definition of liftoffnext
as in launch
a rising from a surface at the start of a flight (as of a rocket) everyone was quiet in the control room as they waited for lift-off

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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 liftoff While the rocket’s first stage — the booster used for liftoff — returned to Earth, its second, or upper, stage continued propelling the robotic landers on their path to the moon. — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026 Weeks after its liftoff in early July to boost the decaying orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which launched in 2004, LINK ran into trouble, spinning out of control and suffering sporadic communications. — Tom Metcalfe, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026 On July 10, the first stage of a Long March-10B rocket separated from the second stage after liftoff and returned to a platform at sea. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, as of mid-August 2026, China’s Chang'e-7 mission is waiting at Wenchang, the launch site on Hainan Island in China, with liftoff expected by the end of the year. — Wanjiku Chebet Kanjumba, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for liftoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liftoff
  1. launch
  2. takeoff
Noun
  • Training units would not need to replace the complete launch pod after every firing cycle.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • After the launch of the iPhone in 2007 transformed the smartphone industry, BlackBerry fought hard to keep its consumer mobile division alive with new devices — but ultimately lost the battle.
    — Arjun Kharpal,Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of launch
Noun
  • Alexandria Sheriff's Office via AP Flight 103 was 31,000 feet over Lockerbie when a bomb in the plane's forward cargo area exploded 38 minutes after takeoff from London Heathrow Airport.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Archer plans to use its Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for the service.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of takeoff

Browse Nearby Words

lifting
liftoff
liftoffs
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Cite this Entry

“Liftoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liftoff. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on liftoff

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about liftoff

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