Definition
A rejected takeoff is the deliberate decision and action to abort the takeoff and bring the airplane to a stop on the remaining runway, typically in response to an engine failure, system malfunction, control problem, or any other condition that makes continuing the takeoff unsafe. The decision must be made before the airplane reaches a speed or position from which a safe stop on the remaining runway is no longer possible.
Plain English
Stopping a takeoff on the runway instead of continuing into the air, usually because something has gone wrong — most often an engine problem. The pilot has to decide quickly, because there is only so much runway left to stop on.
Context Anchor
You encounter this during takeoff planning, emergency procedure training, and pre-takeoff briefings, especially when reviewing what to do if the engine loses power during the takeoff roll or just after liftoff.
Derivation
"Rejected" comes from the Latin reicere, meaning to throw back or refuse. Here the pilot is refusing the takeoff and throwing the attempt back — choosing the runway over the air.
Why Pilots Care
Takeoff is the highest-risk phase; a properly executed rejection prevents runway excursions, loss of directional control, or attempts to fly with insufficient power.
Grounding Statement
The key idea is simple: during takeoff, if the airplane is not safely able to continue, the pilot must immediately choose the safest action available and keep control of the airplane.
Intuition Check
Do not read “rejected” as a paperwork or approval term here. A rejected takeoff is a takeoff already in progress that the pilot stops because it is not safe to continue. Also, “engine failure” does not always mean the engine is completely dead; it can mean the engine is not making enough usable power.
Example Sentence 1
When the engine lost power partway down the runway, the pilot executed a rejected takeoff and brought the airplane to a stop with room to spare.
Example Sentence 2
In multi-engine training the instructor simulated an engine failure just after brake release, requiring the student to execute a rejected takeoff before reaching 50 knots.