1
as in departing
to leave a place often for another I can only stay for a few minutes, and then I'll need to take off again
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2
as in removing
to rid oneself of (a garment) take off your coat and stay awhile
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3
as in subtracting
to take away (an amount or number) from a total the store will take an additional 20% off if you bring in this coupon
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4
as in robbing
slang to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully a gangbanger who decided to take off some fast-food joint
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of taking off As many Americans plan their summer vacations, airfares are taking off. —
Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026 With runners at the corners with no outs in the sixth, A's first baseman Nick Kurtz fielded Jared Young’s grounder and threw to third to nab Francisco Lindor, who broke back to the bag after taking off for home. —ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026 Aurigny also says demand has soured in recent months, falling by 13 percent for flights taking off in May. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2026 Those who fly the small, lightweight aircraft of different stripes were restricted for nearly four years from accessing the airport by ground and taking off in their ultralights. —Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026 Alex Tafoya was a much easier interview, even taking off his Ghost Rider flaming skull headpiece to talk. —Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026 As Kasevich rolled into second base with his first double on Friday, the infielder unveiled a calm smile while taking off his batting gloves. —Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026 Later in the video, Joseph put his socks back on after taking off his shoes and socks, so an officer could check his feet. —Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026 Garcia, the former Democratic congressman, said Obama’s legacy in Cuba includes changes that paved the way for the current moment, like giving Cubans the ability to visit family back on the island and taking off caps on sending money back, creating investment on the island. —Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026 With runners at the corners with no outs in the sixth, A's first baseman Nick Kurtz fielded Jared Young’s grounder and threw to third to nab Francisco Lindor, who broke back to the bag after taking off for home. —ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026 Aurigny also says demand has soured in recent months, falling by 13 percent for flights taking off in May. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2026 Those who fly the small, lightweight aircraft of different stripes were restricted for nearly four years from accessing the airport by ground and taking off in their ultralights. —Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026 Alex Tafoya was a much easier interview, even taking off his Ghost Rider flaming skull headpiece to talk. —Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026 As Kasevich rolled into second base with his first double on Friday, the infielder unveiled a calm smile while taking off his batting gloves. —Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026 Later in the video, Joseph put his socks back on after taking off his shoes and socks, so an officer could check his feet. —Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026 Garcia, the former Democratic congressman, said Obama’s legacy in Cuba includes changes that paved the way for the current moment, like giving Cubans the ability to visit family back on the island and taking off caps on sending money back, creating investment on the island. —Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking off
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Trump vowed to maintain a blockade of Iranian ports if Tehran refused to reach a deal; the effort has so far turned back 27 ships bound for or departing Iranian ports.— Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 21 Apr. 2026
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In May, a new fiberoptic cable went online between Philadelphia and New York to improve telecommunications at the air traffic control facility that handles flights arriving and departing Newark Liberty International Airport, after a series of outages last year led to major delays.— Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
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This would be achieved by making the flying experience less like an airplane and more like an automobile, including replacing mechanical control linkages with fly-by-wire systems, even removing the traditional rudder pedals.— David Szondy April 25, New Atlas, 25 Apr. 2026
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Experts recommend removing outdated tags before each trip and using airline apps or tracking devices for better visibility.— Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026
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Briere said the Flyers' rebuild was entering its next phase, shifting from subtracting players to adding them.— Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised data, adding an additional 34,000 jobs to January, showing a growth of 160,000, but subtracting 41,000 from February, showing a loss of 133,000.— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2026
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He was charged and convicted of robbing two other people and charging fraudulent purchases to their credit cards.— Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
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Just three weeks ago, Vancouver Police reported five incidents involving a man allegedly robbing people after arranging to meet with him, to sell the suspect Pokémon cards.— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
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Shaffir hosted This Is Not Happening for three seasons before exiting the series under contentious circumstances, after deciding to sell a special to Comedy Central’s competitor, Netflix.— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2026
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The 31-year-old right-hander began his ramp-up at low Single-A Lake Elsinore and pitched into the third inning until exiting after a comebacker in a 6-5 win on Saturday over visiting Visalia.— Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
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Steube, whose southwest Florida constituents could benefit from the provision deducting personal casualty losses, has vowed to push the law forward.— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
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The union has proposed sharing the revenue without deducting expenses to secure a larger share of gross revenue for the players.— Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Step back, limit input, and process what’s coming up before moving forward with clearer boundaries.— Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
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April 19 guest commentary The recent commentary on the Colorado Connector rail service was supportive of moving ahead.— DP Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the center of town, Perryville House—with its garden-facing suites and Georgian architecture—makes a compelling case for putting off your departure.— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026
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Americans are also making other sacrifices, such as delaying a job change, putting off buying a new home or postponing growing their family.— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/taking%20off. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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