as in pad
an area from which a rocket is launched
—often used figuratively
The TV cameras were focused on the launchpad as the time for liftoff approached. The program she hosted on local radio was the launchpad for her network career.
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Recent Examples of launchpad
Akon, who spent part of his childhood in Senegal, had promoted the city as Africa's answer to Wakanda and a launchpad for his Akoin cryptocurrency.
—
Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
In addition to being a great way for fans to learn what their favorite stars are reading, celebrity book clubs can serve as launchpads for an author's career — and create a reading community worldwide.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 4 July 2025
View gallery - 11 images Eurobike 2025 is really shaping up to be the ultimate launchpad for tiny ebike motors.
—New Atlas, 18 June 2025
Like Gigi Perez and Malcolm Todd before him, Warren used TikTok not just as a launchpad, but as an incubator for creativity and authenticity.
—Tasbeeh Herwees, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for launchpad
Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
In addition to being a great way for fans to learn what their favorite stars are reading, celebrity book clubs can serve as launchpads for an author's career — and create a reading community worldwide.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 4 July 2025
View gallery - 11 images Eurobike 2025 is really shaping up to be the ultimate launchpad for tiny ebike motors.
—New Atlas, 18 June 2025
Like Gigi Perez and Malcolm Todd before him, Warren used TikTok not just as a launchpad, but as an incubator for creativity and authenticity.
—Tasbeeh Herwees, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for launchpad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for launchpad
Noun
-
Players warming up without certain pads or helmets.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
19 July 2025
-
For a reusable alternative to pads, consider period underwear.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
17 July 2025
Noun
-
Torrential rains caused travel delays throughout the city, flooding subways and roads and delaying flights at JFK, Laguardia and Newark airports.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
15 July 2025
-
In this case, the smart city is not being built on a former airport site, but on a one-time ranch devoted to raising cattle and rice.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
The robo-coyotes have been tested at a number of military airfields, including Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, famous as the home of the Blue Angels aerobatics team, Fort Campbell, Tennessee, and Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Florida.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 July 2025
-
Even as Russia unleashed its biggest attack on Ukraine to date on July 4, Ukraine in turn used drones to strike an airfield and other targets inside Russia.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Ukraine begged former President Joe Biden and German leaders to no avail to provide long-range missiles that could hit distant Russian aerodromes and eliminate strategic bombers at the source.—
Trudy Rubin,
Twin Cities,
8 June 2025
-
Ukraine begged former President Joe Biden and German leaders to no avail to provide long range missiles that could hit distant Russian aerodromes and eliminate strategic bombers at the source.—
Trudy Rubin,
Mercury News,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Launchpad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/launchpad. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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