departure

American  

[dih-pahr-cher] / dɪˈpɑr tʃər /

noun

• departures
  plural

1. an act or instance of departing.

   the time of departure; a hasty departure.

   Synonyms:

   leave-taking, exit, going, leaving

2. divergence or deviation, as from a standard, rule, etc..

   a departure from accepted teaching methods.

3. Navigation.

   1. the distance due east or west traveled by a vessel or aircraft.

   2. point of departure.

4. Surveying. the length of the projection, on the east-west reference line, of a survey line.

5. Archaic. death.

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departure British  

/ dɪˈpɑːtʃə /

noun

1. the act or an instance of departing

2. a deviation or variation from previous custom; divergence

3. a project, course of action, venture, etc

   selling is a new departure for him

4. nautical

   1. the net distance travelled due east or west by a vessel

   2. Also called: point of departure.  the latitude and longitude of the point from which a vessel calculates dead reckoning

5. a euphemistic word for death

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nondeparture
  noun
• predeparture
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• departures
  plural

Etymology

Origin of departure

1375–1425; late Middle English < Old French departëure; compare Anglo-French departir (noun use of infinitive). See depart, -ure

Explanation

A departure is the act of leaving somewhere. Think about an airport that has departure gates for outgoing passengers and an arrival area for people flying in. Since departing means to leave, a departure is an act of leaving. There are many type of departures, such as when you go to the store or take a flight. A departure can be a metaphor too, as in a departure from the norm, like if a TV cop show suddenly turns into a vampire show. If a comedian starts being serious, that's a departure too. This word is also a euphemism for death, as in "a departure from life."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

departure departures

In announcing his departure from the company, Leonardo Maria del Vecchio criticised the way the group is run by its chairman Francesco Milleri, who was chosen by his father.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

And then, even after the departure of many hardy attendees who had made it through the whole event, he remained.

From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026

His departure comes amid a broader exodus at the firm, which is working toward an IPO that is expected in 2027 and racing to catch up to rival Anthropic in sales to business customers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

But if Watkins goes, his departure will cut the deepest.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

I repassed, in my memory, my whole life; my quiet happiness while residing with my family in Geneva, the death of my mother, and my departure for Ingolstadt.

From "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

The departures come as OpenAI works toward an IPO expected in 2027 and increases its projected computing spending to $750 billion through 2030.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

What don't Aston Villa need after a raft of star departures this summer?

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Word of the senior departures spread across the industry Friday, creating worries that Fannie’s ability to provide stability to prices and activity could be hampered.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

A chunk of that outlay will be funded by the sales of Rodri and James Trafford as well as the likely departures of Tijjani Reijnders and Savinho.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

News of departures became a part of everyday conversation.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

Related Words

• escape
• evacuation
• exit
• exodus
• flight
• passage
• removal
• retirement
• retreat
• separation
• takeoff
• walkout
• withdrawal