department
noun
de·part·ment
di-ˈpärt-mənt 
1
a
: a distinct sphere : province
that's not my department
b
: a category consisting especially of a measurable activity or attribute
lacking in the trustworthiness department—
Garrison Keillor
Garrison Keillor2
: a functional or territorial division: such as
a
: a major administrative division of a government
b
: a major territorial administrative subdivision
c
: a division of a college or school giving instruction in a particular subject
d
: a major division of a business
e
: a section of a department store handling a particular kind of merchandise
f
: a territorial subdivision made for the administration and training of military units
Examples of department in a Sentence
Your letter has been forwarded to our sales department.
When you get to the hospital, go directly to the X-ray department.
the university's math and science departments
the department of modern languages
She joined the town's police department.
Recent Examples on the Web
The internship, created in 2019, was designed to give students access to programs in more than 20 of the museum's departments.
—Peyton Robinson, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Renaming the department would likely require an act of Congress.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Collaboration looks like departments sharing resources, teammates celebrating each other’s wins and leaders encouraging ideas from everyone.
—Alora Bopray, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Most have been involved in the criminal justice system and were referred by Children and Youth Family Services (CYFS), a department under DHHS.
—Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for department
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Peyton Robinson, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Renaming the department would likely require an act of Congress.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Collaboration looks like departments sharing resources, teammates celebrating each other’s wins and leaders encouraging ideas from everyone.
—Alora Bopray, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Most have been involved in the criminal justice system and were referred by Children and Youth Family Services (CYFS), a department under DHHS.
—Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for department
Cite this Entry
“Department.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/department. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
department
noun
de·part·ment
di-ˈpärt-mənt
1
: a distinct area of interest or activity
taking care of the cat is not my department
2
a
: a major administrative division of a government or business
b
: a major territorial administrative division
c
: a division of a college or school giving instruction in a particular subject
d
: a section of a department store
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