airlift

American  

[air-lift] / ˈɛərˌlɪft /

noun

1. a system for transporting persons or cargo by aircraft, especially in an emergency.

2. the persons or cargo so transported.

3. the act or process of transporting such a load.

4. a pump for raising liquids by the pressure of air forced into the pump chamber.

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verb (used with object)

• airlifts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• airlifted,
  past participle,  past
• airlifting
  present participle

1. to transport (persons or cargo) by airlift.

adjective

1. of or relating to an airlift or airlifts.

   to increase the army's airlift capacity.

airlift British  

/ ˈɛəˌlɪft /

noun

1. the transportation by air of passengers, troops, cargo, etc, esp when other routes are blocked

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verb

1. (tr) to transport by an airlift

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• airlifting
  present
• airlifted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• airlift
  simple
• airlifts
  simple
• have airlifted
  perfect
• has airlifted
  perfect
• am airlifting
  progressive
• are airlifting
  progressive
• is airlifting
  progressive
• have been airlifting
  perfect progressive
• has been airlifting
  perfect progressive

Past

• airlifted
  simple
• had airlifted
  perfect
• was airlifting
  progressive
• were airlifting
  progressive
• had been airlifting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will airlift
  simple
• will have airlifted
  perfect
• will be airlifting
  progressive
• will have been airlifting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of airlift

First recorded in 1940–45; air ¹ + lift

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Explanation

When a military plane is used to deliver supplies or move people, it's called an airlift. After a major earthquake, airlifts can bring in clean water and food to people in the affected area. Whether they're removing citizens from dangerous situations or providing aid to victims of natural disasters, airlifts are useful in an emergency. Enormous military aircraft can hold a large quantity of supplies and deliver them quickly, even at great distances. As a verb, airlift means "fly to safety," so a government might airlift its embassy workers out of a country where war has suddenly broken out.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

airlift airlifts airlifted airlifting

Some countries airlift or airdrop humanitarian relief supplies, but are also concerned about stockpiling for themselves.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

This involved the airlift of dozens of people in Phantom Ranch, one of the park's hardest-hit areas, he added.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

Southern Command “is moving quickly to bring unmatched airlift, logistics and life-saving capabilities of the U.S. military to … support the nation of Venezuela during this crisis,” the command said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

"Given the uncertainties and severity of the illness,  there is concern about the scale of  transmission in affected communities," the WHO said Friday as it prepared to airlift five tonnes of material including infection prevention gear from Kinshasa.

From Barron's ● May 16, 2026

At Baxter State Park in Maine, the Journal reported, one hiker called up a National Guard Unit and asked them to send a helicopter to airlift him off Mount Katahdin because he was tired.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Trekkers were also pressured into airlifts even for minor illnesses, according to the chargesheet.

From Barron's ● Apr. 7, 2026

"There are no aid planes, no humanitarian airlifts, no real international movement and no ground efforts to break the siege."

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2025

The base is supplied weekly by the Canadian Air Force, and twice a year with bigger airlifts of fuel and cargo.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2025

Two more airlifts are planned in the coming days, Sullivan said.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 29, 2023

In addition to outright     warfare, the strife has included interdiction of Armenian imports on the     Azerbaijani railroads and expensive airlifts of supplies to beleagured     Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

From The 1992 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Maharjan, who was among hundreds of workers employed at projects hit by the floods, was eventually airlifted from the worst-hit Rasuwa region.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

Don Trump Jr.’s wedding had everything: a private island, fireworks, a Funfetti cake airlifted in from Florida—everything but the groom’s dad.

From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026

The man was airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, the Forest Service said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

A five-tier funfetti cake had been airlifted in from Florida, and helicopters and seaplanes descended on the islands before guests settled into their oceanfront villas.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

Maybe we’ll have to be airlifted in a helicopter, Jonathan thought.

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret

The government has begun airlifting meat and vegetables from the eastern agricultural heartland of Santa Cruz and central city of Cochabamba to try alleviate the shortages.

From Barron's ● May 20, 2026

Qatar could draw on its experience of airlifting 4,000 Holstein dairy cows during a 2017 trade blockade.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026

Mr. Said called 911 and a state park aircrew responded, airlifting the woman and transporting her to a local hospital.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 28, 2023

The village is home to at least 225 people, and the authorities said they were airlifting excavators to assist rescuers who trekked 1.5 miles from the nearest highway to reach the village.

From New York Times ● Jul. 20, 2023

The UK authorities started airlifting British nationals out of Sudan on Tuesday during a pause in fighting after a 72-hour ceasefire was agreed by both sides of the conflict.

From BBC ● Apr. 26, 2023

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Related Words

• airdrop
• fly

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