launch 1 of 2

verb

ˈlȯnch How to pronounce launch (audio)
Definition of launchnext
1
as in to establish
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of after retiring, he launched a small company devoted to making medical devices

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2
as in to begin
to take the first step in (a process or course of action) she launched a career in journalism after quitting acting school

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3
as in to throw
to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm infantrymen launching grenades at the nest of machine gunners

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launch

2 of 2

noun

1
as in takeoff
a rising from a surface at the start of a flight (as of a rocket) the reporters held their collective breath as they silently watched the space shuttle's launch

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in start
the point at which something begins we are at the launch of a new age of space exploration

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 launch
Verb
Though Starliner left without Wilmore and Williams, NASA decided to keep the astronauts in orbit for a few extra months rather than launch an emergency mission to return them to Earth in order to keep the space station fully staffed. — Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025 Firefly Aerospace, a private space company, first launched their Blue Ghost moon lander on January 15, attached to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. — Colson Thayer, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
As Gearbox prepares for the game's launch in September 2025, there's a good chance much of the plot and the protagonists will be revealed gradually. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Mar. 2025 Selling, general, and administrative expenses increased to $28.8 million from $12.9 million, driven by pre-commercial marketing and sales infrastructure expenses in preparation for a potential commercial launch. — Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for launch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for launch
  1. establish
  2. begin
  3. throw
  4. takeoff
  5. start
  6. initiate
  7. commence
  8. hurl
Verb
  • Season 1 didn’t have a ton of mixing, but there was such a great conflict established between Armond and Shane.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Tips For Transplanting Make sure to provide the tomato seedlings ample room underground to establish roots and spread out.
    — Lauren David, Southern Living, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of establish
Verb
  • Desir had won 24 consecutive matches to begin the season.
    — Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Increasingly, those searches begin online, in industry communities, and on professional platforms.
    — Rhea Wessel, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of begin
Verb
  • There’s still not enough playmakers there for Young to throw to, especially not enough of them with speed.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The 41-year-old Bachelor Nation alum revealed in a March 17 Instagram post that he was attacked by his family dog twice in a span of 12 hours several days earlier while throwing a barbecue with his friends.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of throw
Noun
  • There were questions about the planes' takeoff and landing times, and the number of people deported under Trump's proclamation.
    — arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Calculations after the crash showed that the cargo gross takeoff weight at departure was 9,865 pounds — about 1,058 pounds heavier than the maximum for forecast icing conditions, the NTSB said in a preliminary report.
    — Phil Helsel, NBC News, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of takeoff
Noun
  • Adrian Kempe scored for the Kings, and Darcy Kuemper — fresh off shutouts in his last two starts — had 19 saves and had his shutout streak end at 176:06.
    — Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2025
  • About Riley Green Riley Green got his start playing in bars and restaurants around his hometown of Jacksonville, Alabama—and lately he’s been performing in stadiums for tens of thousands.
    — Sid Evans, Southern Living, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of start
Verb
  • This alignment reflects a broader strategic shift initiated by New York Life CEO Craig DeSanto, who prioritized client and agent experience over a traditional product-centric focus.
    — Peter High, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The recall, which was voluntarily initiated by Great Lakes Cheese, was initiated on Feb. 15, and has yet to be given a termination date.
    — Moná Thomas, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of initiate
Verb
  • The strikes commenced approximately two hours after Goldberg received the information.
    — Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
  • Under-the-radar talks about them joining Loewe commenced last October, the same sources said.
    — Miles Socha, WWD, 24 Mar. 2025
Definition of commence
Verb
  • Outside, a school bus lay on its side, hurled against the building by the storm, with yellow caution tape keeping onlookers at a distance.
    — Robert Shackelford, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Several diss tracks followed, with the musicians hurling increasingly spiteful insults at each other relating to accusations of domestic abuse, exploitation and pedophilia.
    — Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of hurl

Browse Nearby Words

laughters
launch
launched
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Cite this Entry

“Launch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/launch. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on launch

Nglish: Translation of launch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about launch

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