: 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
Another liftoff attempt was scheduled for October 13, but the mission was delayed again due to a problem with the vehicle’s GPS.
—
Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 24 Oct. 2024
Faced with the possibility of being marooned on the lunar surface for eternity — and just hours away from scheduled liftoff — the two men let NASA engineers try and solve the problem and took a five-hour nap.
—Johnny Dodd, People.com, 21 Oct. 2024
The Falcon 9's second stage Merlin vacuum engine fired for more than six minutes to place the Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit after liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 30 Sep. 2024
With 33 engines at its base, each more powerful than one of the nine used on the Falcon, the Super Heavy booster packs roughly 10 times the amount of thrust at liftoff.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for liftoff 
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Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 24 Oct. 2024
Faced with the possibility of being marooned on the lunar surface for eternity — and just hours away from scheduled liftoff — the two men let NASA engineers try and solve the problem and took a five-hour nap.
—Johnny Dodd, People.com, 21 Oct. 2024
The Falcon 9's second stage Merlin vacuum engine fired for more than six minutes to place the Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit after liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 30 Sep. 2024
With 33 engines at its base, each more powerful than one of the nine used on the Falcon, the Super Heavy booster packs roughly 10 times the amount of thrust at liftoff.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for liftoff
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Dictionary Entries Near liftoff
Cite this Entry
“Liftoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liftoff. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.
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liftoff
noun
lift·off
ˈlif-ˌtȯf 
: a vertical takeoff (as by a rocket)
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