airlift

noun

air·​lift ˈer-ˌlift How to pronounce airlift (audio)
: a system of transporting cargo or passengers by aircraft often to or from an otherwise inaccessible area
airlift transitive verb

Examples of airlift in a Sentence

an emergency airlift to deliver supplies to the famine victims
Recent Examples on the Web Now we are engaged in another humanitarian airlift — this time because of the actions not of an enemy but of our partner. Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 The highlights of her career included reporting on the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp in 1945, the Nuremberg trials from 1945 to 1946, the Berlin airlift from 1948 to 1949, and the Korean War in the early 1950s. Jennet Conant, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 The importance of the economic issue faced stiff competition from the rising Cold War, the enactment of the Marshall Plan, the Berlin airlift, the formation of Israel and the subsequent First Arab-Israeli War, Mr. Truman’s decision to desegregate the military and the rise of the Dixiecrats. Nate Cohn, New York Times, 4 Jan. 2024 Yesterday’s flight was the UAE’s 11th humanitarian airlift since the Israel-Hamas war began with the Oct. 7 attacks. NBC News, 1 Feb. 2024 Their deterrent value during the Berlin airlift in 1948 changed his mind and triggered a debate over the best declaratory policy. Christian Schneider, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023 Reeling from early battlefield setbacks, Israel pleaded for an emergency airlift of U.S. weapons and other equipment. Thomas W. Lippman, Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2023 Wings of Rescue, a charity that flies at-risk pets from overcrowded shelters and disaster areas to new homes, conducted the airlift. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 3 Jan. 2024 Together the two campaigns formed the largest airlift in history. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 18 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'airlift.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of airlift was in 1943

Dictionary Entries Near airlift

Cite this Entry

“Airlift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airlift. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

airlift

noun
air·​lift ˈa(ə)r-ˌlift How to pronounce airlift (audio)
ˈe(ə)r-
: a system of transporting cargo or passengers by aircraft to or from an area otherwise impossible to reach
airlift verb

More from Merriam-Webster on airlift

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