Launch means to send something on its way, usually with force or intention. When NASA launches a rocket, it sends the spacecraft blasting up from Earth into space. When you launch a paper airplane, you throw it into the air with a flick of your wrist.

The word captures that moment of beginning, when something stationary suddenly starts moving with purpose. A ship is launched when it slides down the ramp and hits the water for the first time. A quarterback launches a football down the field toward a receiver.

Launch also means starting something new and important. A company might launch a new product, meaning they officially introduce it and start selling it. An author launches a book with a special event celebrating its publication. When your school launches a new recycling program, it means the program is beginning and ready to go.

The word suggests energy and momentum. You don't launch something timidly or slowly. Whether it's a rocket, a business, or a campaign to clean up your neighborhood, a launch is that exciting moment when preparation ends and action begins. After months of planning and building, the launch is when your project finally takes off.