airlift

noun

air·​lift ˈer-ˌlift 

: a system of transporting cargo or passengers by aircraft often to or from an otherwise inaccessible area

airlift transitive verb

Examples of airlift in a Sentence

an emergency airlift to deliver supplies to the famine victims

Recent Examples on the Web

Because the victim was in critical condition, an airlift was requested to transport her to the hospital while a detective with the Homestead Police Department secured her children and then spoke with them about the incident. —Chris Spargo, People.com, 23 May 2025

Warren’s numbers show that Transcom conducted 31 military and contract airlift flights to carry personnel, equipment and supplies to Guantánamo between Jan. 20 and March 25, transporting 715 passengers and 1,016.9 tons of cargo. —Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 13 May 2025

Skeptics complain that Europe lacks the airlift capacity to rapidly move forces around Europe, but this is a rhetorical diversion. —Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 21 Apr. 2025

Here's how much an iPhone could cost with Trump's tariffs on China China hikes tariffs on U.S. goods to 84%, as EU also hits back Apple airlifts iPhones out of India to avoid Trump tariffs, report says Why did Trump pause the tariffs? —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for airlift

• adrift
• facelift
• festschrift
• forklift
• gearshift
• makeshift
• redshift
• sealift
• snowdrift
• spendthrift
• clift
• drift

Kids Definition

airlift

noun

air·​lift ˈa(ə)r-ˌlift 

ˈe(ə)r-

: a system of transporting cargo or passengers by aircraft to or from an area otherwise impossible to reach

airlift verb