1
as in exits
to leave a place often for another
I can only stay for a few minutes, and then I'll need to take off again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in removes
to rid oneself of (a garment)
take off your coat and stay awhile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in subtracts
to take away (an amount or number) from a total
the store will take an additional 20% off if you bring in this coupon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in robs
slang
to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully
a gangbanger who decided to take off some fast-food joint
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of takes off
In the clip, Gelli Haha and her backup dancers twirl around vibrant decor in the sky before the singer hops behind the steering wheel of a huge, fluffy cloud and takes off on a trippy voyage.
—
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 25 Mar. 2026
An aircraft takes off from Beirut Airport as smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike Tuesday.
—Raf Sanchez, NBC news, 18 Mar. 2026
Things take a turn when Claire takes off, only to come back covered in someone else’s blood.
—Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
And this is where the movie takes off from retro mythology to become its own slovenly mod thing.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
Quadruple Loop This jump is more difficult because Malinin takes off and lands on the same leg, without the assistance of picking off the ice.
—Alice Park, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
As long as the flight takes off and lands, the transaction feels complete.
—Shain Shapiro, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
From there, the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway takes off, a 68-mile loop with tunnels and bridges that cuts through the park and the surrounding Black Hills National Forest.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2025
From the other side, the highway takes off in Madison and then bends off the main road to the charming town of New Glarus.
—Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 25 Mar. 2026
An aircraft takes off from Beirut Airport as smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike Tuesday.
—Raf Sanchez, NBC news, 18 Mar. 2026
Things take a turn when Claire takes off, only to come back covered in someone else’s blood.
—Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
And this is where the movie takes off from retro mythology to become its own slovenly mod thing.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
Quadruple Loop This jump is more difficult because Malinin takes off and lands on the same leg, without the assistance of picking off the ice.
—Alice Park, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
As long as the flight takes off and lands, the transaction feels complete.
—Shain Shapiro, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
From there, the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway takes off, a 68-mile loop with tunnels and bridges that cuts through the park and the surrounding Black Hills National Forest.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2025
From the other side, the highway takes off in Madison and then bends off the main road to the charming town of New Glarus.
—Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for takes off
Verb
-
Meanwhile, three oil supertankers transited the narrow waterway, representing the biggest day of oil exits through Hormuz since Iran closed off the chokepoint through which one-fifth of the world’s oil passed before the war.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
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Light is channeled along the length of each cantilever via a waveguide, and exits at its tip.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With a unique two-in-one design, this tool effectively removes any trace of stems, cores, and seeds from both full-size bell peppers and smaller ones like jalapenos.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Pine-Sol removes that grime without scratching the appliances.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The calculation also subtracts income from Roth conversions and retirement plan rollovers.—
Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After seeing the financial circumstances of his community members, Sinise's character enters a bank — where Wilson is the guard — and robs it for cash.—
Chris Barilla,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
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Left fielder Mark Collins robs Galloway of a hit with a diving catch.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
House Speaker Mike Johnson departs after a vote at the Capitol on March 26, 2026.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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But in the fourth episode of the season, the show departs from this reliable structure.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The state’s homestead market-value exclusion program automatically deducts a certain amount of value for the purpose of calculating property taxes.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Players had been negotiating for a percentage of overall revenue without factoring in expenses while the WNBA was seeking sharing tied to net revenue, mirroring the NBA’s structure that deducts expenses before sharing 50% of profits.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Each of us moves through a world strewn with figurative mountains and molehills, continually assessing what matters more and what matters less.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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What was a human being a second before is now a head bobbing among the waves as the vessel moves quickly away.—
David Szondy
April 19,
New Atlas,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Leaving clean laundry in the dryer or hamper only puts off a chore until later, keeps clean clothes from its proper place, and also risks wrinkles or someone accidentally mistaking it for dirty laundry instead.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Takes off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/takes%20off. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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