liftoff

American  

[lift-awf, -of] / ˈlɪftˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

Or lift-off

noun

• liftoffs
  plural

1. Aeronautics, Rocketry.

   1. the action of an aircraft in becoming airborne or of a rocket in rising from its launching site under its own power.

   2. the instant when such action occurs.

2. Informal. the launching or commencement of a project, plan, etc..

   The liftoff of the sales campaign will be next month.

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adjective

1. able to be shifted or removed by lifting off; capable of being lifted off.

   I organized the workshop with these liftoff adhesive labels for bins and shelves.

   We used magnetic liftoff nameplates on the lockers.

liftoff British  

/ ˈlɪftˌɒf /

noun

1. the initial movement or ascent of a rocket from its launch pad

2. the instant at which this occurs

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verb

1. (intr, adverb) (of a rocket) to leave its launch pad

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• liftoffs
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of liftoff

First recorded in 1955–60; noun and adjective use of verb phrase lift off

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

liftoff liftoffs

I liked the indie rock sound, but mostly for the collaborative liftoff.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is now one major step closer to liftoff.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

SpaceX had scheduled the test flight to happen last week, but it was scrubbed shortly before liftoff after problems with the booster engines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

The company, owned by Elon Musk, cited engine failure at liftoff during an aborted launch attempt last week.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

Annabelle closes her eyes and feels the liftoff.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

Its built-in solid propellant makes launches harder for outsiders to detect than liquid-fueled missiles, which must be fueled before liftoffs.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 18, 2023

Security Council resolutions prohibit any satellite liftoffs by North Korea, viewing them as covers for testing its long-range missile technology.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 22, 2023

It was a thing of teeth-rattling liftoffs and bone-thumping landings and a dependence on fire—fire!, the fuel of the primitives—to get anywhere at all.

From Time ● Feb. 27, 2015

The engaging Gomez’s liftoffs occur courtesy of ZFX’s flying ­effects.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 9, 2014

Yet that audience dwindled quickly after the first flight in 1981 as the missions turned routine, or at least seemed that way to the television executives who decided to stop showing live liftoffs.

From New York Times ● Jul. 8, 2011

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Related Words

• launch

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