as in airports
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 launchpads
The majority of the biggest rounds across the sector have been for startups based in those two countries, with both emerging as key launchpads into new markets and battlefield training.
—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Once reliable job launchpads in gateway fields such as finance, consulting, and journalism now routinely demand two or more years of prior experience.
—Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Or the way Karl Lagerfeld turned Grand Palais into supermarkets, icebergs, and rocket launchpads.
—Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 17 Aug. 2025
Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Once reliable job launchpads in gateway fields such as finance, consulting, and journalism now routinely demand two or more years of prior experience.
—Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Or the way Karl Lagerfeld turned Grand Palais into supermarkets, icebergs, and rocket launchpads.
—Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for launchpads
Noun
-
Instead, the focus is on schedule reductions to regional and domestic mainline flights that do not travel between our hub airports.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Some food-safety inspections were temporarily suspended, trash piled up in national parks, federal landmarks and museums closed, and some airports shuttered checkpoints due to fewer Transportation Security Administration officers to screen passengers.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Once the pads came on, Suamataia took virtually every first-team rep at left tackle.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Even one of the greatest ever to play this game, Joe Root, could not work out how to break free of the 36-year-old’s shackles here, failing to score a single run off him for 23 balls in a row before finally yielding to the python-like grip when missing one that homed in on his pads.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The only countries with large enough airfields and refueling stations were Guinea and Senegal.—
Time,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Ukraine sees them as a way to strike Russian command centers, logistics hubs, and airfields currently out of reach.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Launchpads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/launchpads. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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