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
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
Aurigny also says demand has soured in recent months, falling by 13 percent for flights taking off in May.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 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
Alex Tafoya was a much easier interview, even taking off his Ghost Rider flaming skull headpiece to talk.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
As Kasevich rolled into second base with his first double on Friday, the infielder unveiled a calm smile while taking off his batting gloves.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Later in the video, Joseph put his socks back on after taking off his shoes and socks, so an officer could check his feet.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Garcia, the former Democratic congressman, said Obama’s legacy in Cuba includes changes that paved the way for the current moment, like giving Cubans the ability to visit family back on the island and taking off caps on sending money back, creating investment on the island.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
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
Aurigny also says demand has soured in recent months, falling by 13 percent for flights taking off in May.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 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
Alex Tafoya was a much easier interview, even taking off his Ghost Rider flaming skull headpiece to talk.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
As Kasevich rolled into second base with his first double on Friday, the infielder unveiled a calm smile while taking off his batting gloves.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Later in the video, Joseph put his socks back on after taking off his shoes and socks, so an officer could check his feet.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Garcia, the former Democratic congressman, said Obama’s legacy in Cuba includes changes that paved the way for the current moment, like giving Cubans the ability to visit family back on the island and taking off caps on sending money back, creating investment on the island.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking off
Verb
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Iran’s Mahan Air operated the first resumed flight, departing Tehran early Tuesday and returning to Tehran later the same day, IRNA added.—
Mustafa Qadri,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Liam Hicks hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning for the Marlins while right-hander Pete Fairbanks (0-2) was charged with three runs in the ninth, while departing with an injury.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This would be achieved by making the flying experience less like an airplane and more like an automobile, including replacing mechanical control linkages with fly-by-wire systems, even removing the traditional rudder pedals.—
David Szondy
April 25,
New Atlas,
25 Apr. 2026
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Experts recommend removing outdated tags before each trip and using airline apps or tracking devices for better visibility.—
Joey Skladany,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Briere said the Flyers' rebuild was entering its next phase, shifting from subtracting players to adding them.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised data, adding an additional 34,000 jobs to January, showing a growth of 160,000, but subtracting 41,000 from February, showing a loss of 133,000.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Earlier this year, one of the members of the group, a 17-year-old, testified against Eric Halem, a former Los Angeles police officer who was convicted last month of robbing $350,000 worth of cryptocurrency from the teen in 2024.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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He was wanted after allegedly robbing a Family Dollar store on Saturday morning and pistol-whipping one of their female employees, taking her wallet and keys.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Shaffir hosted This Is Not Happening for three seasons before exiting the series under contentious circumstances, after deciding to sell a special to Comedy Central’s competitor, Netflix.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
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The 31-year-old right-hander began his ramp-up at low Single-A Lake Elsinore and pitched into the third inning until exiting after a comebacker in a 6-5 win on Saturday over visiting Visalia.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s because the federal tax code, in section 280E, dictates that companies working with Schedule I or Schedule II substances are prohibited from deducting many standard business expenses.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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Gross margin, the percentage of revenue remaining after deducting the cost of production, was 41% in the quarter on an adjusted basis.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Step back, limit input, and process what’s coming up before moving forward with clearer boundaries.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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April 19 guest commentary The recent commentary on the Colorado Connector rail service was supportive of moving ahead.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Correcting a deficiency is one of the most accessible interventions in everyday health and now there’s a compelling new reason to stop putting off that conversation.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
30 Apr. 2026
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The plan also reduced senior services, after-school programming, leaving four Police Department vacancies empty, and putting off replacing two patrol cars.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20off. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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