Skip to main content
to land

to land

1.0
To come down and rest on a surface
  • verb
  • /lænd/
translation icon : aterrizar
  • The pilot managed to land the aircraft safely on the runway after the storm.
  • land on Earth
  • landing rights
  • landed price

But what happens when we landed men on the moon?

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Okay, when the plane lands in Japan, I'll have the state department reach out to...

  • I'll call you when I land.

  • So we know here it has to land there.

  • OK, so we, we land day one, this hit.

  • And where it's all going to land remains to be seen.

  • In fact, wherever I land, I will get to my hotel.

  • British and French troops land at Murmansk in northern Russia.

  • Those planes can't land without light.

  • In her first year on the faculty job market, Mack landed two interviews.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Okay, team has landed.

Synonyms

to touch down
vsto land
45 3.6

To land on the ground after a flight

is the broader action of coming down to rest in many contexts
to put down
vsto land
  • Specialized
28 5.8

To land a plane in an emergency

is the normal arriving and resting action rather than emergency-focused causing
to bring down
vsto land
15 3.3

Move something or someone from a higher to a lower place, for example land an aircraft

focuses on coming down and resting, not on causing the movement
to set down
vsto land
9 3.6

To land on the ground or another surface

is the general action of coming down and resting, not vehicle-specific
to land the plane
vsto land
  • Specialized
8 3.5

To bring a plane down safely at an airport

is the general coming down to rest, not limited to safe airport arrivals
to alight on
vsto land
2 6.8

To come down and settle lightly on something

is the general coming down action with no emphasis on light contact
to alit
vsto land
  • Archaic
9.7

To land gently after flying, like a bird or insect

is the base verb for the same action rather than the past form
to set ashore
vsto land
4.1

To bring people or things from a boat onto land

is the general arrival on a surface, not limited to shore or boats

To step onto solid ground after being on a boat or in a plane

is the basic action of coming down and resting on any surface

Antonyms

478 1.9

To leave the ground and begin to fly

176 1.3

To leave a place to start a journey

Idioms

lay of the land
  • Informal
16 4.5

The current situation and main facts about a place or group

12 3.7

Recover from a hard situation and end up well

The best food and goods a place gives

To get something valuable by surprise without any effort

Phrasal Verbs

15 4.6

To put a plane or helicopter down quickly in an emergency, often causing damage

To get a job you really want, often one that is hard to find

to land the plane
  • Specialized
8 3.5

To bring a plane down safely at an airport

3 4.6

To fall onto the ground with great force and possibly get hurt

1 5.1

End up in a place or situation, often by chance

Successfully get a business agreement or contract

to grant land
  • Formal
1 6.6

To give land to someone so they legally own it

to force-land
  • Specialized
8.8

To make an aircraft land unexpectedly because of engine failure or bad weather

to frack the land
  • Specialized
7.9

To get natural gas from under the ground by forcing water and chemicals into rocks

9.3

To fall or sit down suddenly and hit your bottom

3.9

To get the best seat for a show or meal by arriving early

Compounds

31 4.7

Main laws of a country made by its government

29 4.1

A bomb buried in the ground that explodes when someone steps on or moves it

23 1.0

The solid ground on Earth that is not under the sea

23 1.8

A small area of land that someone owns or uses

16 5.0

A region east of the Mediterranean Sea, mainly Israel and Palestine, that is sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims

14 6.0

A place or situation someone hopes will bring them happiness after a long struggle

A country where people can make a better life by working hard

12 2.8

A large area of land that is not separated by water

11 3.0

A small piece of ground for growing plants or building on

9 3.6

A country where a person was born and still feels at home

land grant
  • Formal
8 3.7

Public land that a government gives to someone for building colleges or railways

An area of land that nobody owns or lives in, often between enemy lines

Promised Land
  • Literature
8 7.3

Land God promised to Abraham and his family in ancient Palestine

A state of being alive and able to do everyday things

A place or state where you reach great happiness after effort

A large area of land used for a certain purpose

5 4.2

Government action that takes farm land from large owners and gives it to small farmers

A piece of land sold or owned as one unit

5 2.7

A piece of land used for a specific purpose like building or farming

no man's land
  • Informal
4 7.4

A situation between two clear sides where rules are unclear

3 2.5

Land with grass where animals like cows or sheep eat

Preparing land so people can build on it or use it for farming

never-never land
  • Literature
2 8.8

A made-up perfect place that exists only in dreams

2 2.6

Land with grass where farm animals eat

land office
  • Formal
1 4.7

A government office that sells and records public land

1 3.2

A payment to the local government for owning land

1 9.9

An imaginary place where people are out of touch with reality because they are too optimistic

1 7.5

Land that the state or ruler owns and manages for public use

Land prepared and used for growing crops like wheat or corn

1 3.5

Land that local people can use, often to graze animals

1 8.6

A very large, quick amount of sales that makes a lot of money

land tenure
  • Specialized
1 6.7

The rules and rights that show who owns or uses land

1 8.5

A vehicle with wheels and a sail that moves across land using wind

piece of land
  • Jargon
1 6.7

A digital area in an online world that someone can buy or own

9.9

A rude name for a faraway or imaginary place used to show disrespect

A region in western Antarctica along the southeast shore of the Weddell Sea

A part of Antarctica between Queen Maud Land and Wilkes Land that Australia claims

A coastal part of Antarctica south of Australia where large penguin colonies live

La-La Land
  • Informal
8.1

A state of not knowing what is real, often with happy, silly ideas

4.4

A person who manages or sells land and buildings for an owner

land agent
  • Jargon
7.2

A person who buys, sells, or manages virtual land in online worlds

land mile
  • Specialized
2.0

A unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet used on land

A topic that causes strong arguments and trouble

Official nickname for the US state of New Mexico about its beautiful land and rich culture

9.3

A joking name for California about its farms and unusual people

A nickname for Illinois in the United States because Abraham Lincoln lived there

A leafy plant like watercress with small spicy leaves used in salads

9.0

A small brown bird that lives in fields and meadows, often hidden in tall grass

Areas of land that can be used for farming or building

lotus land
  • Literature
9.9

A peaceful place like a dream where people relax and forget their problems

A region of Antarctica claimed by Norway between Enderby Land and the Weddell Sea

A camera that makes a photo and develops it instantly

Land that farmers plow and use to grow crops

A thing that shows land is near, like birds or distant clouds

A mountain area in Antarctica between the Ross Sea and Wilkes Land

How Hard

crash
2.3
to slam down
  • Informal
14 6.0
to land
1.0
to touch down
45 3.6
to alight
2 6.6

Surface Forms

land infinitive
landed past
landed past participle
landing present participle
lands third person singular

Etymology

The verb land comes from the idea of going to the 'ground' or 'country'—it originally meant 'come to land' or 'bring to the ground'. So a plane or bird 'lands' when it comes down and rests on the ground.