: 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
Powered by 33 of SpaceX's Raptor-class engines, the booster provided the initial burst of thrust at liftoff before separating from the upper stage minutes after launch and making a water landing in the Gulf of Mexico, renamed in the United States under executive order as the Gulf of America.
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Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 May 2026
But once their fuel is used up, which happened just two minutes and 8 seconds after liftoff on this flight, the boosters' 16 different separation motors ignite to push the boosters away from the rocket and one another.
—Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 26 May 2026
The celebration, which includes extra flare for Route 66’s Centennial anniversary, brings a lineup of one liftoff after another, live music, drone shows, chainsaw carving contests and fireworks.
—Shauna Farnell, Denver Post, 25 May 2026
The pad remained stable during liftoff, marking a successful validation for future operations.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 23 May 2026
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Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 May 2026
But once their fuel is used up, which happened just two minutes and 8 seconds after liftoff on this flight, the boosters' 16 different separation motors ignite to push the boosters away from the rocket and one another.
—Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 26 May 2026
The celebration, which includes extra flare for Route 66’s Centennial anniversary, brings a lineup of one liftoff after another, live music, drone shows, chainsaw carving contests and fireworks.
—Shauna Farnell, Denver Post, 25 May 2026
The pad remained stable during liftoff, marking a successful validation for future operations.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 23 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 2 Jun. 2026.
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liftoff
noun
lift·off
ˈlif-ˌtȯf 
: a vertical takeoff (as by a rocket)
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