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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

landing

LAN-dihng

Landing (noun) means the act of coming down onto a surface, especially of an aircraft. Example: “The pilot made a smooth landing despite the strong crosswinds.”

noun
1
The act of coming down onto a surface, especially of an aircraft.
"The pilot made a smooth landing despite the strong crosswinds."
"The plane's landing was delayed due to fog."
2
The flat area at the top of a staircase or between two flights of stairs.
"She left her shoes on the landing outside the bedroom."
3
A place on a shore or riverbank where boats load, unload, or dock.
"Fishermen unloaded their catch at the old landing."

How to Use Landing

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishComing down to the ground (a plane, a jump), or the flat spot at the top of stairs.

Common pairings
emergency landing crash landing stand on the landing

Word Forms

landings plural

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Test yourself on “landing” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The pilot made a smooth _____ despite the strong crosswinds.

Etymology

Formed from land + the suffix -ing.

Related Words

Rhymes for landing

See all rhymes for landing →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “landing” mean?

The word “landing” means the act of coming down onto a surface, especially of an aircraft. In plain terms, coming down to the ground (a plane, a jump), or the flat spot at the top of stairs.

How do you pronounce “landing”?

“Landing” is pronounced LAN-dihng (/ˈlændɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “landing” in a sentence?

Here is “landing” used in a sentence: “The pilot made a smooth landing despite the strong crosswinds.”

What part of speech is “landing”?

“Landing” is a noun.

Is “landing” a common word?

“Landing” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “landing” have?

“Landing” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act of coming down onto a surface, especially of an aircraft.

What is the difference between landing and takeoff?

They are the two opposite ends of a flight. Takeoff is when an aircraft leaves the ground and climbs into the air; landing is when it descends and touches back down onto a runway or surface. Pilots often regard landing as the more demanding of the two manoeuvres.

What are the types of aircraft landing?

Pilots describe several. A soft landing is smooth and gentle, while a hard landing meets the ground with a jolt. A touch-and-go briefly lands before taking off again, and an emergency or forced landing happens unexpectedly when something goes wrong. Coming down on water at sea is called ditching.

What is an example of a landing?

A plane touching down on a runway is the clearest example, but the word reaches wider. A spacecraft settling on the Moon, a gymnast coming down cleanly after a somersault, or a bird alighting on a branch are all landings — the moment of coming to rest on a surface.

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