: 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
Twilight will mark the fifth liftoff for this particular Falcon 9's first stage.
—
Mike Wall, Space.com, 10 Jan. 2026
The mission had originally been targeting a Thursday liftoff, but SpaceX delayed without citing a reason.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
The New Shepard capsule touched down about 10-and-a-half minutes after liftoff.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2025
Each spaceflight on a New Shepard vehicle lasts about 11 minutes from liftoff to capsule touchdown.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 17 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Liftoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liftoff. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
liftoff
noun
lift·off
ˈlif-ˌtȯf 
: a vertical takeoff (as by a rocket)
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