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
-
Below them, clattering on a dozen parallel tracks, the trains were coming and going, arriving and departing, thundering underground.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
The compact helicopter features head-to-toe panoramic windows and accommodates two guests, departing directly from Qualia’s helipad.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Those who found Hillary Dawa were members of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), which sets the routes, ropes and ladders through the Khumbu Icefall at the start of the season, and is in charge of removing waste from the mountain once climbers have left.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
-
Regularly cleaning filters, emptying dust containers, and removing hair from the brush roll can help keep the machine running efficiently for years.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
5 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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In the late 1990s, officers from a gang unit in the LAPD’s Rampart Division were accused of robbing people and planting evidence, among other crimes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
This talent is noticed by Josh Gad (yes, played by Josh Gad) who puts Doorman into his bank-robbing heist movie franchise.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
3 June 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
-
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
-
Stop adding to the system and start deducting from it.—
Aaron Levine,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
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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That did mean putting off other major projects, including construction of the new, $24 million Barbour Street library in the city’s northside neighborhood.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Taking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20off. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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