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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of taking off
Ramaswamy became Snowflake’s chief executive in 2024, as the AI boom was taking off.
—
Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 30 May 2026
Brian's car then flips multiple times and lands in a body of water, with the driver responsible apparently taking off.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
The mission brought a roller coaster of highs and lows after taking off from SpaceX’s Starbase launch facilities at Texas’ southernmost tip.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 22 May 2026
Look at the success that Pamela Anderson is having after taking off all her makeup.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 15 May 2026
The New Glenn’s first test flight occurred on January 16, 2025, taking off from Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 May 2026
As many Americans plan their summer vacations, airfares are taking off.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
With runners at the corners with no outs in the sixth, A's first baseman Nick Kurtz fielded Jared Young’s grounder and threw to third to nab Francisco Lindor, who broke back to the bag after taking off for home.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Those who fly the small, lightweight aircraft of different stripes were restricted for nearly four years from accessing the airport by ground and taking off in their ultralights.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 30 May 2026
Brian's car then flips multiple times and lands in a body of water, with the driver responsible apparently taking off.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
The mission brought a roller coaster of highs and lows after taking off from SpaceX’s Starbase launch facilities at Texas’ southernmost tip.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 22 May 2026
Look at the success that Pamela Anderson is having after taking off all her makeup.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 15 May 2026
The New Glenn’s first test flight occurred on January 16, 2025, taking off from Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 May 2026
As many Americans plan their summer vacations, airfares are taking off.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
With runners at the corners with no outs in the sixth, A's first baseman Nick Kurtz fielded Jared Young’s grounder and threw to third to nab Francisco Lindor, who broke back to the bag after taking off for home.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Those who fly the small, lightweight aircraft of different stripes were restricted for nearly four years from accessing the airport by ground and taking off in their ultralights.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking off
Verb
-
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after departing the Department of Justice last month, according to a report.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
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Sulinna Ong, Spotify‘s global head of editorial & curation for music, is departing the company to join U2‘s management team, the band confirmed on Tuesday.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
26 May 2026
Verb
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This is done by cutting back the growing tip of the trunk (called the central leader) during the first winter after planting and selectively removing side branches.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
-
Some gardeners control the infestation by cutting the plants back or even removing them.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2026
Verb
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What did help ease respondent's minds, based on the survey results, was having a higher net worth, found by subtracting a household's liabilities from its assets.—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
-
This measures the degree by which tuition, donations and investment revenue cover a college’s educational expenses by subtracting its core expenses from its core revenues and dividing the difference by its core revenues.—
Matt Schifrin,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Atlanta police are searching for a woman accused of robbing a Buckhead bank on Wednesday morning.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
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Center fielder Jakob Marsee made a pair of big catches at the wall — robbing Carson Benge of a pair of hits in the first and sixth innings.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Rather than pivoting the space again, Tilford said his restaurant group is exiting entirely.—
Jenna Thompson
June 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 June 2026
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Demonstrators have been attempting to block people and vehicles from entering and exiting, linking their arms in a human chain and using trash cans, umbrellas and other items as makeshift shields and barricades.—
Philip Marcelo,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Kean is counting on voters rewarding him for tax cuts that Trump signed into law last year, including easing the restrictions on deducting state and local taxes, or SALT, a big issue for upper middle-class homeowners in high-tax blue states like New Jersey.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
26 May 2026
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Stop adding to the system and start deducting from it.—
Aaron Levine,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Nippon Dynawave was cited for moving equipment involved before it could be inspected, but not for the incident itself, the news outlet reported.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Remember, as little as 6 inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Commissioner Jessica Vasquez requested the AI proposal be deferred, likely putting off consideration for at least one month.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
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Damon Wayans’ Message to Other Diabetes Patients Wayans wants people who suspect something is off to stop putting off the appointment.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20off. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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