landing

noun

land·​ing ˈlan-diŋ 

1

: an act or process of one that lands

especially : a going or bringing to a surface (such as land or shore) after a voyage or flight

2

: a place for discharging and taking on passengers and cargo

3

: a level part of a staircase (as at the end of a flight of stairs)

4

landings plural : the amount of fish or shellfish landed annually in a particular area

Synonyms

• dock
• float
• jetty
• levee
• pier
• quai
• quay
• wharf

Examples of landing in a Sentence

The plane made a smooth landing.

The helicopter had to make an emergency landing.

The pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings.

Landing in high winds can be dangerous.

Our plane was cleared for landing.

We stopped to rest at the first floor landing.

I waited at the landing for the ferry.

Recent Examples on the Web

Jake Fischer of The Stein Line recently reported that Phoenix is his preferred landing spot. —Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025

While the Super Bowl-winning head coach is expected to find a landing spot, questions now surround the team he’s left behind. —Dianna Russini, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025

Firefly confirmed a target landing date of March 2. —Jackie Wattles, CNN, 15 Jan. 2025

More than 90 of them already commemorate places where spacecraft landed, such as Tranquility Base and the Apollo 11 landing site. —Neda Ulaby, NPR, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing landing

• dead-stick landing
• instrument landing
• landing craft
• landing field
• landing gear
• landing strip
• moon landing
• pancake landing
• three-point landing

Kids Definition

landing

noun

land·​ing ˈlan-diŋ 

1

: the action of one that lands

2

: a place (as a wharf) for unloading or taking on passengers and cargo

3

: the level part of a staircase (as between flights of stairs)