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
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
For example, Dublin Airport (DUB) and Montreal Trudeau International Airport (YUL) both have United States pre-clearance facilities, where a traveler goes through the necessary visit with a CBP officer before taking off.
—
Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026
Why the honey scent trend is taking off The appeal of a honey scent comes down to balance.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026
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
Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026
Why the honey scent trend is taking off The appeal of a honey scent comes down to balance.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking off
Verb
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Among those departing are UCP development executives Jennifer Gwarz and Mark Velez and casting head Steven O’Neill.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
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Taylor, who will officially start the job on July 27, is departing her current post as CEO of Zevia PBC, a maker of zero-sugar beverages.—
Sportico Staff,
Sportico.com,
15 June 2026
Verb
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By removing the liquid filling stage entirely and accelerating the subsequent chemical formation and aging protocols, the production timeline for these steps is shortened by two-thirds.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
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Make 4- to 6-inch-long cuttings by sipping off the ends of the shoots and removing a few bottom leaves.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 June 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
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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
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Vukelich believes artificial intelligence is robbing teens of some potential jobs and that laws to boost the minimum wage in some states have pitted first-time job-seekers against more experienced candidates.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 June 2026
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This announcement came after two teens were arrested for allegedly robbing another juvenile at gunpoint during a teen link-up at THE AVENUE at White Marsh.—
CBS Baltimore Staff,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The shooting happened Sunday after three people, including the child, got into a vehicle after exiting a Walmart in Senatobia, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the shooting.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
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Another factor in the oil trade is the number of ships entering the Persian Gulf as well as exiting.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
Verb
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But be careful about putting off work for too long.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
16 June 2026
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While delaying care may seem like a practical way to manage vet costs in the short term, putting off treatment can sometimes create larger financial and medical challenges in the future.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Occasional or incidental business use probably would not justify deducting the full year, so keep records showing how the subscription was used.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
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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
Verb
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Beteille said his group was waved through a metal detector before another security employee pushed them forward, knocking over part of it.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 June 2026
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Before 2014, Major League Baseball runners trying to score often tried knocking over a catcher who was blocking the plate.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20off. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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