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Synonyms

goodbye

American  
[good-bahy] / ˌgʊdˈbaɪ /
Sometimes goodby, or good-bye

interjection

  1. farewell (a conventional expression used at parting).

noun

plural

goodbyes

  1. a farewell.

goodbye British  
/ ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ /

  1. farewell: a conventional expression used at leave-taking or parting with people and at the loss or rejection of things or ideas

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a leave-taking; parting

    they prolonged their goodbyes for a few more minutes

  2. a farewell

    they said goodbyes to each other
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of goodbye

First recorded in 1565–75; contraction of God be with ye

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.

“We’re feeling the AGI here,” host John Coogan said with a smile, before saluting goodbye to Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s newly annointed chief executive of applications.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

On my last batch of shows I’ve tried to never firmly say goodbye to a character because of the way we play in time.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

“They kissed that opportunity goodbye by failing to provide funding for those agencies.”

From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026

They posed for a photo, then said goodbye.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

He doesn’t even say goodbye to Michelle and Crystal.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

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.