landing

American  

[lan-ding] / ˈlæn dɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that lands.

   The pilot brought his plane in for a landing.

2. a place where persons or goods are landed, as from a ship.

   The boat moored at the landing.

3. Architecture.

   1. a platform between flights of stairs.

   2. the floor at the head or foot of a flight of stairs.

4. Shipbuilding.

   1. the overlap of two plates or planks, as in a clinker-built shell.

   2. the distance between the center of a rivet hole and the edge of the plate or shape into which it is cut.

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landing British  

/ ˈlændɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. the act of coming to land, esp after a flight or sea voyage

   2. ( as modifier )

      landing place

2. a place of disembarkation

3. the floor area at the top of a flight of stairs or between two flights of stairs

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Usage

What does landing mean? Landing is the act of returning to the ground after having been in flight or up in the air. It can also be used to refer to the act of returning to the land after having been in water. Landing also commonly refers to an instance of doing this. This especially involves aircraft, as in That was a rough landing. But it can also be applied to a person, as in She’ll have to stick the landing if she wants a perfect score. Landing can also mean a place where ships can dock. It can also refer to the floor at the top of a flight of stairs or the platform between two flights of stairs. The landing often has a bigger surface area than the steps and is usually positioned between flights when they change directions. The word landing comes is also the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb land, as in We will be landing shortly. Example: I’m much more nervous during the landing than at takeoff.

Other Word Forms

• postlanding
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of landing

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at land, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

U.S. natural gas futures settled higher with a warmer weather outlook for the latter half of May seen lifting power-sector demand and a weekly inventory build landing in line with the norm.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

“This does not happen prior to the new appointment landing in the seat … the true test is more likely to come after May if history is any guide,” the Barclays research concluded.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

In fact, the latest economic data released this morning showed that wholesale inflation soared in April, landing back at the record-hot levels last seen four years ago.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

The 56-year-old throwback is often my first stop after landing in New Mexico.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Her hard landing made the branch sway to and fro, but she had sea legs enough to manage it, after all the traveling she had done.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• dock