1 A2 neutral
Of an aircraft, to leave the ground and begin flying.
"The flight to Tokyo took off forty minutes late due to heavy rain."
inseparable
take off
A2 neutral mixed transitive/intransitive
To leave the ground, remove clothing, depart quickly, or become suddenly successful.
In plain English
When a plane leaves the ground, or when you remove your coat, or when something suddenly starts doing really well.
What does "take off" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To remove a piece of clothing or accessories.
"Please take off your shoes before entering the house."
separable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
To suddenly become very successful or popular.
"Her online bakery really took off after a food blogger shared her photos."
“
The company took off and now employs over 500 people.
— Common business journalism usage, widely attested
inseparable
4 B1 idiomatic informal
To leave quickly or suddenly.
"He took off as soon as he heard the police sirens."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To remove something from a surface, or to lift away from a surface.
Actually means
When a plane leaves the ground, or when you remove your coat, or when something suddenly starts doing really well.
Usage tip
One of the most common phrasal verbs in English. The aviation and clothing senses are A2 level. The 'become successful' sense is figurative and very common in business and media English. 'Take off' can also mean to mimic someone (British English, informal).
Words that pair with "take off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
plane jacket shoes business career trend
How to conjugate "take off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
take off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
takes off
he/she/it
Past simple
took off
yesterday
Past participle
taken off
have + pp
-ing form
taking off
continuous
Hear "take off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "take off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "take off"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.