: 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 spacecraft had broken apart minutes after liftoff from South Texas during its seventh test flight.
—
Katie Hunt, CNN, 1 Feb. 2025
For a running back nicknamed after a projectile, this week’s Shrine Bowl could be the start of Sanders’ countdown to NFL liftoff.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 28 Jan. 2025
The maneuver was last pulled off during the fifth flight test on Oct. 13 as it was called off during the Nov. 19 liftoff.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2025
But about eight-and-a-half minutes after liftoff, telemetry shared on SpaceX's webcast showed the engines shutting down in a staggered fashion before data suddenly froze and stopped updating.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for liftoff 
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Katie Hunt, CNN, 1 Feb. 2025
For a running back nicknamed after a projectile, this week’s Shrine Bowl could be the start of Sanders’ countdown to NFL liftoff.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 28 Jan. 2025
The maneuver was last pulled off during the fifth flight test on Oct. 13 as it was called off during the Nov. 19 liftoff.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2025
But about eight-and-a-half minutes after liftoff, telemetry shared on SpaceX's webcast showed the engines shutting down in a staggered fashion before data suddenly froze and stopped updating.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for liftoff
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Cite this Entry
“Liftoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liftoff. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
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liftoff
noun
lift·off
ˈlif-ˌtȯf 
: a vertical takeoff (as by a rocket)
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