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

The All Blacks needed to hit the ground running under Rennie after Scott Robertson's departure in January.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Dani Gibson, Sunrisers' captain and most expensive player at the women's auction earlier this year, offered some resistance until her departure for 22 off 16 ended any hope of a fightback.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

With the departure of All-American Makai Lemon and fellow receiver Ja’Kobi Lane to the NFL, Maiava has focused on strengthening his connection with his current group of receivers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

"Last summer at the controls," Paris Match said on its cover, referring to Macron's departure from the Elysee palace next year when his second and final term ends.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

When Nat had taken his departure, he did some figuring.

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham

Holly: It has been a dismal summer for Newcastle United with key player departures and a managerial change, leaving Nick Woltemade as the main target for fantasy potential.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

While the novel’s plot takes a number of imaginative departures from the historical record, Ms. Barr has an eye for lively details that will appeal to her audience of readers ages 10 and up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

At the same time, investors have been increasingly questioning the return on investment of Alphabet’s AI endeavors, especially amid delays and high-profile departures from the company’s DeepMind lab.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

Villarreal: Recent cast departures have obviously drawn some criticism.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

The sounds of morning commuters echoed through Waverley station, interrupted every minute or so by a woman announcing arrivals and departures over the public address system.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Related Words

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