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
-
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
-
(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
-
departsimple
-
departssimple
-
have departedperfect
-
has departedperfect
-
am departingprogressive
-
are departingprogressive
-
is departingprogressive
-
have been departingperfect progressive
-
has been departingperfect progressive
Past
-
departedsimple
-
had departedperfect
-
was departingprogressive
-
were departingprogressive
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 8
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
“Framework-wise, the Ministry verifies with the countries from which flights depart that the airlines’ pilots undergo background security checks in accordance with international regulation.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
She was detained by the FBI at Los Angeles International Airport "attempting to depart for China" on Sunday, he said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
Medical helicopter flights land and depart not from the airport but from a separate location: a heliport on Pebbly Beach, just steps from the ocean.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
It is unlikely the club will just simply roll over and let disillusioned players depart without suitable offers because, ultimately, they can ride the storm financially.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
“We depart for Rifthold in the morning. Don’t disappoint me, Sardothien.”
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
Normally, she hosts a massive sail-away party on the main deck the day the ship departs, with line dances and games.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
The very place where the passenger ferry departs Portsmouth for Hayling Island.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
But this version of “A Different World” departs from its source material in its narrative format and tone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
As Creative Director Ib Kamara departs Off-White, what’s going on at the luxury streetwear label?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
The dark, dusty world departs beneath me; and I look down and see my body cast, gleaming white from my waist to my toes, the way it did when they first put it on me.
From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar
This afternoon was mostly about arranging rides, which departed Springfield every weekday morning.
From Slate ● Oct. 26, 2026
On Friday, the first shipment of Russian oil departed on a tanker headed to the U.S.
From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026
When Curran departed for 27, England were 177-5 midway through the 32nd over and the game was beginning to slip away.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
To achieve their new level of precision, the team departed from the conventional method of estimating primordial helium.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026
Not once has she ever wished to contact her departed mother, and she doubts her mother would want to speak with her if she could, especially through such complicated methods.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
At Belfast City Airport, flights departing to Edinburgh, Cardiff, Manchester and Kirkwall on Sunday morning have been cancelled.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026
The union said most Royal Mail workers leaving the company were believed to be new starters on part-time contracts, but also said there had been an increase in staff on legacy contracts departing.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Instead they plan to invest at a higher rate and build their net worth outside of a primary residence, departing from the established path to wealth in the U.S.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
About 84%-90% of hiring is estimated to replace departing workers, leaving net workforce growth at around 3%, excluding outsourced semiconductor assembly and testing companies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Before this stranger with his scrap of paper Zau and Thutra’s other old friends had stepped aside, departing one by one to their houses and out of Ranofer’s life.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
