Etymology
Origin of leaving
First recorded in 1300–50, leaving is from the Middle English word leving. See leave 1, -ing 1
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.
In December, the carrier cancelled about 4,500 flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports across India.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
Jennifer Kavanagh, director of Military Analysis at Defense Priorities, said that Trump is effectively prevented from leaving NATO.
From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026
President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, “We’ll be leaving very soon,” saying the U.S. would leave Iran in two to three weeks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
The department received additional penalties for improperly documenting training, failing to identify and evaluate the hazards of transporting and storing the ordnance, and leaving explosives unattended.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
Then he headed into first period, leaving me stuffing books into my locker.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
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.
