: a vertical takeoff by an aircraft or a rocket vehicle or missile
Examples of liftoff in a Sentence
a series of successful liftoffs
Thousand of spectators gathered to watch the liftoff of the space shuttle.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Falcon 9's 45-foot upper stage is designed to travel in orbit after separating from the lower stage that provides the initial burst of thrust at liftoff.
—
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 4 May 2026
The vehicle’s liftoff depended on seven BE-4 engines.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 May 2026
The Saturday launch attempt scrubbed under a minute before liftoff because of bad weather in the booster recovery area.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
The first of the 32 satellites was separated from the rocket’s upper stage just under an hour and a half after liftoff.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for liftoff
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Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 4 May 2026
The vehicle’s liftoff depended on seven BE-4 engines.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 May 2026
The Saturday launch attempt scrubbed under a minute before liftoff because of bad weather in the booster recovery area.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
The first of the 32 satellites was separated from the rocket’s upper stage just under an hour and a half after liftoff.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for liftoff
Cite this Entry
“Liftoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liftoff. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
liftoff
noun
lift·off
ˈlif-ˌtȯf 
: a vertical takeoff (as by a rocket)
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