liftoff

noun

lift·​off ˈlift-ˌȯf How to pronounce liftoff (audio)
: 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
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.
The tech-heavy index enjoyed a liftoff from Nvidia and Microsoft, both of which reached all-time highs (and probably made some insiders at Nvidia multi-millionaires over the past month). Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 30 June 2025 The first-stage booster made a successful 21st liftoff, but was expended to get the satellite to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2025 In the crash video shot from the rooftop, the landing gear truck is visibly in a front-wheel-down position after liftoff. Mika Gröndahl, New York Times, 28 June 2025 Almost a month later, on June 1, the spacecraft was less than four minutes away from liftoff when the ground launch sequencer — the computer that launches the rocket — triggered an automatic hold. Jillian Frankel, People.com, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for liftoff

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of liftoff was circa 1956

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Cite this Entry

“Liftoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liftoff. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

liftoff

noun
lift·​off ˈlif-ˌtȯf How to pronounce liftoff (audio)
: a vertical takeoff (as by a rocket)

More from Merriam-Webster on liftoff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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