airlift: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal (journalistic, political, historical, military/logistics contexts); can appear in general news reporting during crises.
Quick answer
What does “airlift” mean?
A large-scale transport of people or supplies by aircraft, especially in a difficult or urgent situation.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A large-scale transport of people or supplies by aircraft, especially in a difficult or urgent situation.
To transport by aircraft in a large-scale, often emergency operation; also, any rapid logistical movement via air transport to overcome a geographic or political barrier.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Both use the term for emergency/military logistics. Possibly slightly more frequent in US media due to larger military airlift capacity references.
Connotations
Both share connotations of crisis response, humanitarian aid, or military intervention. The Berlin Airlift (1948-49) is a seminal historical reference for both.
Frequency
Equally used in relevant contexts in both varieties. Not a common everyday word.
Grammar
How to Use “airlift” in a Sentence
airlift [OBJ] from [PLACE]airlift [OBJ] to [PLACE]airlift [OBJ] out of [PLACE]mount/conduct/carry out an airliftVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “airlift” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- A massive humanitarian airlift was launched to deliver aid to the war-torn province.
- The operation became the largest peacetime airlift in British history.
American English
- The success of the Berlin Airlift became a symbol of Cold War resolve.
- Setting up a sustained airlift to the island will be logistically challenging.
verb
British English
- The RAF was tasked to airlift the stranded climbers from the Scottish peak.
- They plan to airlift essential medicine into the flooded region.
American English
- The National Guard airlifted generators to the town after the hurricane.
- The government airlifted embassy staff out of the conflict zone.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, unless in logistics/supply chain discussing extreme solutions.
Academic
Used in history, political science, and disaster management studies.
Everyday
Used when discussing major news events involving large-scale air transport for aid or evacuation.
Technical
Common in military, humanitarian logistics, and emergency management jargon.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “airlift”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “airlift”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “airlift”
- Using it for any routine air cargo (lacks urgency/scale).
- Confusing noun and verb forms: 'They did an airlift' (noun) vs. 'They airlifted the refugees' (verb).
- Misspelling as 'air lift' (while sometimes hyphenated historically, solid form 'airlift' is standard).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'airlift' is commonly used as both a noun (e.g., 'an airlift') and a verb (e.g., 'to airlift supplies').
While strongly associated with emergencies, blockades, or military operations, it can technically refer to any large-scale transport by air, though the sense of urgency or overcoming an obstacle is almost always implied.
An 'airlift' typically involves aircraft landing to load/unload people or cargo. An 'airdrop' involves parachuting or free-falling supplies from an aircraft without it landing.
It is standard as one solid word: 'airlift'. The hyphenated form 'air-lift' is archaic.
A large-scale transport of people or supplies by aircraft, especially in a difficult or urgent situation.
Airlift is usually formal (journalistic, political, historical, military/logistics contexts); can appear in general news reporting during crises. in register.
Airlift: in British English it is pronounced /ˈeə.lɪft/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈer.lɪft/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Operation [X] Airlift (used historically, e.g., Operation Vittles for Berlin Airlift)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of LIFTing people/supplies into the AIR during an emergency.
Conceptual Metaphor
MOVEMENT AS RESCUE (The airlift is a life-saving bridge in the sky).
Practice
Quiz
In which historical context is the term 'airlift' most famously used?