: a vertical takeoff by an aircraft or a rocket vehicle or missile
Examples of liftoff in a Sentence
a series of successful liftoffs
Thousand of spectators gathered to watch the liftoff of the space shuttle.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Saturday launch attempt scrubbed under a minute before liftoff because of bad weather in the booster recovery area.
—
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
The spacecraft were deployed on schedule a little over 61 minutes after liftoff, SpaceX announced via social media.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 27 Apr. 2026
After the launch, the booster settled onto the ship for a smoky but on-target touchdown less than 10 minutes after liftoff.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
It is designed to withstand the intense vibrations of liftoff, the vacuum of space and drastic thermal shifts.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for liftoff
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Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
The spacecraft were deployed on schedule a little over 61 minutes after liftoff, SpaceX announced via social media.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 27 Apr. 2026
After the launch, the booster settled onto the ship for a smoky but on-target touchdown less than 10 minutes after liftoff.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
It is designed to withstand the intense vibrations of liftoff, the vacuum of space and drastic thermal shifts.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for liftoff
Cite this Entry
“Liftoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liftoff. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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liftoff
noun
lift·off
ˈlif-ˌtȯf 
: a vertical takeoff (as by a rocket)
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