farewell
interjection
goodbye; may you fare well.
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farewell
1 American
[fair-wel]
/ ˌfɛərˈwɛl /
interjection
noun
-
farewells
plural
-
an expression of good wishes at parting.
They made their farewells and left.
-
a fond farewell.
-
a party given to a person who is about to embark on a long journey, retire, leave an organization, etc.
adjective
Farewell
2
American
[fair-wel]
/ ˌfɛərˈwɛl /
noun
farewell
British
/ ˌfɛəˈwɛl /
noun
-
a parting salutation
-
an act of departure; leave-taking
-
(modifier) expressing leave-taking
a farewell speech
verb
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of farewell
First recorded in 1325–75, farewell is from the Middle English word farwel. See fare, well 1
Explanation
If you’re saying goodbye to someone you might not see for long time, say farewell, preferably while waving a hankie from the Queen Mary before it sails across the Atlantic. Farewell is a fancy way to say goodbye. A farewell is also an expression of good wishes at a parting. If you’re leaving a job after being there a long time, your co-workers might throw you a farewell party. Farewell is an expression, like "goodbye," but also a noun — if you like to leave without a lot of fuss, you don’t like long farewells. Farewell is a combination of fare and well. Fare comes from the Old English word faran, which means "to journey."
Vocabulary lists containing farewell
The Cricket in Times Square
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"The Three Chicarrones"
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for July 8–July 14, 2023
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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:
“New Girl” star Jake Johnson is bidding farewell to his Pasadena, Calif., property for $3.3 million.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
It also bids a "sad farewell to D-Day hero Henry Rice at 100".
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo are bidding farewell to their $7 million Tennessee home, which the country singer handed over to his former wife following their divorce.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
"We will have one or more farewell matches, there will be time for that," the statement said.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
To these strains us mourners began to troop down for a final farewell to Miss Myrt, starting from the rear.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
"Farewell old friend x," Larry posted on his X account, brushing aside rumours of rivalry between the pair.
From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026
Farewell, Doctor: This week, Disney+ ended its three-year partnership with the BBC to stream “Doctor Who.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 2025
Aerosmith announced its decision to step away from live performances after Tyler injured his vocal cords during a September 2023 show on the group’s Peace Out: The Farewell Tour.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2025
Adolescence is now among the programmes with the highest seven-day ratings so far this year, behind the BBC's The Traitors, Call The Midwife and the Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell documentary.
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2025
The disarming simplicity of the statement, combined with its quasi-Delphic character, has made the Farewell Address a perennial candidate for historical commentary.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Katie Taylor ended her illustrious career as a three-time undisputed world champion as Croke Park gave one of Ireland's greatest sporting figures the grandest of farewells on a night of celebration, spectacle and music.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Chinese users of AI-powered companion bots have bid heart-rending farewells to their virtual buddies as national regulations took effect Wednesday aimed at curbing the risk of emotional dependency.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
It is also a time of farewells, when school graduates leave their hometown while many corporate professionals receive assignments in new cities.
From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026
And his lament over the pain of farewells likely will be felt by many of the athletes gathering Sunday for the Olympic closing ceremony at Arena di Verona, a 1st century Roman amphitheater.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 22, 2026
Aureliano Segundo and Meme took leave of her with mocking farewells and promised her that on the following Saturday they would have a big resurrection party.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
