depart
Americanverb (used without object)
-
departs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
departed,
past participle, past
-
departing
present participle
-
to go away; leave.
She departed from Paris today. The train departs at 10:52.
- Antonyms:
- arrive
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to diverge or deviate (usually followed byfrom ).
The new method departs from the old in several respects.
-
to pass away, as from life or existence; die.
verb (used with object)
-
departs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
departed,
past participle, past
-
departing
present participle
noun
verb
-
to go away; leave
-
to start out; set forth
-
(usually foll by from) to deviate; differ; vary
to depart from normal procedure
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(tr) to quit (archaic, except in the phrase depart this life )
Synonym Usage
Depart, retire, retreat, withdraw imply leaving a place. Depart is a somewhat literary word for going away from a place: to depart on a journey. Retire emphasizes absenting oneself or drawing back from a place: to retire from a position in battle. Retreat implies a necessary withdrawal, especially as a result of adverse fortune in war: to retreat to secondary lines of defense. Withdraw suggests leaving some specific place or situation, usually for some definite and often unpleasant reason: to withdraw from a hopeless task.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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departsimple
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departssimple
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have departedperfect
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has departedperfect
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am departingprogressive
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are departingprogressive
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is departingprogressive
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have been departingperfect progressive
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has been departingperfect progressive
Past
-
departedsimple
-
had departedperfect
-
was departingprogressive
-
were departingprogressive
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had been departingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of depart
1175–1225; Middle English departen < Old French departir, equivalent to de- de- + partir to go away; see part ( v. )
Explanation
To depart is to go away or to choose a different direction. If you are catching a plane, you are soon to depart. And, if you are wearing a kilt instead of jeans, you depart from your usual look. Airports and train stations have gates for arrivals and departures. Airplanes and people coming in "arrive" while those going out depart. You also can depart without going anywhere, as when you change your mind and depart from an earlier decision. To "depart from the norm" is an expression for doing something different than expected, like giggling during a tear-jerker of a movie.
Vocabulary lists containing depart
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 8
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The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Cracker Barrel announced in July that Chief Executive Julie Masino would depart this month, succeeded by restaurant industry veteran David Deno.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Earlier in the day, an AFP correspondent saw dozens of trucks loaded with furniture and other belongings waiting to set off from near the city of Hasakeh, with men, women and children eager to depart.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
Disasi and Badiashile are available for sale, while Mamadou Sarr is expected to depart on loan.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Joe Erlinger, who previously held the role, will depart.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
‘Then I beg leave to depart soon,’ said Frodo.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Marc Skinner departs Manchester United with a win percentage of 60.84%
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Obviously with massive spoilers ahoy, here are eight of the biggest ways Nolan’s “Odyssey” departs from Homer’s.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
According to several NBA news-breakers, including Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Warriors are attempting to sign James this offseason as he departs the Lakers.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
One of his clients is considering driving from the Northeast to Florida, where their cruise departs from.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
They converse for a moment, then Taryn departs.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
Earlier this month, Google veteran Jeff Dean departed along with three of the company’s top AI researchers to launch the startup Discovery Loop.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
The 1979 movie version, a landmark of the Aussie New Wave, established the careers of director Gillian Armstrong, actress Judy Davis and the recently departed New Zealander Sam Neill.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Denmark midfielder Christian Norgaard has already departed for Everton while there is not yet a clear path for academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Chicago Cubs fans’ boos were by far the most enthusiastic for the right fielder who’d departed their team in free agency this past winter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
After the illusionists have departed, Marco gathers his things, wiping his ink-covered hand on his black coat.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
She stayed with the sketch show for three seasons, departing in 2000.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Trump said on Truth Social that Leavitt is departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her children and family: “A decision I totally understand and respect!”
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Under the departing President Gustavo Petro, a former leftist guerrilla, the government embarked on simultaneous peace negotiations with about a dozen narco-trafficking groups to urge them to disarm and abandon drug smuggling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle says a decision about Bruno Guimaraes' future had already been taken by the time he first met the club's departing captain.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
"I'll be back at three to watch your audition," he says before departing.
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
