1
as in departing
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in removing
to rid oneself of (a garment)
take off your coat and stay awhile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in subtracting
to take away (an amount or number) from a total
the store will take an additional 20% off if you bring in this coupon
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in robbing
slang
to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully
a gangbanger who decided to take off some fast-food joint
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of taking off
The state encounters, which are in addition to what local police are doing, add to the total number of people that ICE is taking off the street and preparing to deport.
—
Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2025
Swapping out the old blade for a new one requires opening the two small slider locks and taking off the single handle panel to access the internal hardware.
—New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
Carousels and videos seem to be taking off, as well as text-only posts that share a polarising view or challenge an industry belief.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
On his 32-yard rushing touchdown, Pribula fought hard in the pocket before taking off.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2025
My career in research started taking off at that college.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
But Cholewa’s career actually started taking off toward the end of middle school.
—Dave Melton, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
That was surely the case for me, someone who loves the look of lashes, but is not the most suited for extensions and absolutely hates taking off mascara at the end of the night.
—Essence, 31 July 2025
James Anderton, the owner of West in Beverly Hills, said the trend is also taking off at wedding events.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2025
Swapping out the old blade for a new one requires opening the two small slider locks and taking off the single handle panel to access the internal hardware.
—New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
Carousels and videos seem to be taking off, as well as text-only posts that share a polarising view or challenge an industry belief.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
On his 32-yard rushing touchdown, Pribula fought hard in the pocket before taking off.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2025
My career in research started taking off at that college.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
But Cholewa’s career actually started taking off toward the end of middle school.
—Dave Melton, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
That was surely the case for me, someone who loves the look of lashes, but is not the most suited for extensions and absolutely hates taking off mascara at the end of the night.
—Essence, 31 July 2025
James Anderton, the owner of West in Beverly Hills, said the trend is also taking off at wedding events.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking off
Verb
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Earlier in the day, Team Penske announced its winningest driver in IndyCar history, Will Power, would be departing.—
Bruce Martin,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected a research institute developing the country’s next intercontinental ballistic missile before departing for China to attend a military parade, state media reported on September 2.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This versatile liquid, which is probably already in your kitchen cabinet, is great for cutting through grease, removing stains, neutralizing odors, and tackling a variety of household tasks, like making the bathtub sparkle.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
22 Aug. 2025
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Attorney General Pam Bondi responded by removing the official who was set to replace Habba.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Shares are priced at less than the figure arrived at when subtracting the company’s total liabilities from its total assets.—
John Navin,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
-
Boston may not be completely done subtracting pieces, either.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Caroline conveniently grows a conscience right around the time when the couple starts robbing banks in earnest.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
6 Sep. 2025
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Drummond has served prison time for robbing a convenience store and threatening to go after jurors.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, in October, Spirit is exiting Albuquerque, New Mexico; Birmingham, Alabama; Boise, Idaho; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Columbia, South Carolina; Portland, Oregon; and Salt Lake City, as well as Oakland, San Diego, Sacramento and San Jose in California, the carrier told CNBC on Wednesday.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
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Justin Manfredi is exiting Apple TV+ to join Lionsgate as executive VP of worldwide television marketing.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The order not only stripped workers of union protections but also stopped them from automatically deducting union dues from their paychecks.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
1 Sep. 2025
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Instead of business owners deducting state income tax on their individual return (where it’s capped), the entity pays the tax directly.—
Robert Green,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Woolen was running stride-for-stride with Pearsall but misplayed the ball and slowed down while the second-year wideout kept moving forward.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Cavitation, on the other hand, provides a high-energy, controllable launch system that doesn’t require onboard power or moving parts.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Amid an influx of trends, like the red pill movement, data shows that men are by and large putting off commitment for longer.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
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An appeal would freeze the process until the higher court rules, putting off a trial to 2026.—
John Diedrich,
jsonline.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20off. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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