landing

1 of 2

noun

land·​ing ˈlan-diŋ 

1

: an act or process of one that lands

especially : a going or bringing to a surface (such as land or shore) after a voyage or flight

2

: a place for discharging and taking on passengers and cargo

3

: a level part of a staircase (as at the end of a flight of stairs)

4

landings plural : the amount of fish or shellfish landed annually in a particular area

landing

2 of 2

present participle of land entry 2

Synonyms of landing

Noun

• dock
• wharf
• pier

Examples of landing in a Sentence

Noun

The plane made a smooth landing.

The helicopter had to make an emergency landing.

The pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings.

Landing in high winds can be dangerous.

Our plane was cleared for landing.

We stopped to rest at the first floor landing.

I waited at the landing for the ferry.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Unreleased | Getty Images A spate of bomb threats against passenger flights has forced diversions, emergency landings and military escorts across European airspace this week, stoking fear among passengers and heaping pressure on airlines. — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2026

China’s lunar landings will involve a lunar-orbit rendezvous similar to what NASA did in the 1960s and early 1970s with the Apollo program. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026

They’re soon sent off to fight, and in angry pique Ben too leaves home, fast landing in the company of Patriot colonist forces led by Scotsman Major Ambrose (Iain Glen). — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026

Threats prompted emergency landings, flight diversions and fighter jet escorts across Poland, Bulgaria, Italy and Spain. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing landing

• dead-stick landing
• instrument landing
• landing craft
• landing field
• landing gear
• landing page
• landing strip
• moon landing
• pancake landing
• three-point landing

Rhymes for landing

• banding
• branding
• handing
• sanding
• standing
• stranding
• commanding
• demanding
• disbanding
• expanding
• freestanding
• misbranding

Kids Definition

landing

noun

land·​ing ˈlan-diŋ 

1

: the action of one that lands

2

: a place (as a wharf) for unloading or taking on passengers and cargo

3

: the level part of a staircase (as between flights of stairs)