blast off

Idioms  

1. Also, blast away . Take off or be launched, especially into space, as in They're scheduled to blast off on Tuesday . This usage originated with the development of powerful rockets, spacecraft, and astronauts, to all of which it was applied. [c. 1950]

2. Depart, clear out, as in This party's over; let's blast off now . [ Slang ; early 1950s]

3. Become excited or high, especially from using drugs, as in They give parties where people blast off . [ Slang ; c. 1960]

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Example Sentences

China, after all, is scheduled to put men on the moon by 2030, though not before Artemis III and IV blast off.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

I was filled with the same hope I had as a pre-teen watching Apollo 11 blast off for the historic moon landing.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

An enhanced version of Europe's Ariane 6 rocket will blast off Thursday to launch 32 satellites into orbit, forming part of the Amazon Leo network, which it hopes will rival Elon Musk's Starlink.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

Nasa says the earliest the rocket can blast off is 6 February, but there are also more launch windows later that month, as well as in March and April.

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2026

And my true self wants to blast off this rock.

From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini