farewell

1 of 4

imperative verb

fare·​well fer-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
Synonyms of farewell
: get along well
used interjectionally to or by one departing

farewell

2 of 4

noun

fare·​well fer-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
1
: a wish of well-being at parting : goodbye
said their farewells and headed home
2
a
: an act of departure : leave-taking
I will take my farewell of this place tomorrow.
b
: a formal occasion honoring a person about to leave or retire
held a great farewell for the retiring senator

farewell

3 of 4

verb

fare·​well fer-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)

transitive

chiefly Australia and New Zealand
: to bid farewell to

farewell

4 of 4

adjective

fare·​well ˈfer-ˌwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
: of or relating to leave-taking : final
a farewell performance

Examples of farewell in a Sentence

Noun They said their farewells and headed home. the exchange student and her host family said their tearful farewells, promising to keep in touch Verb The retiring teacher was farewelled by the whole school at a special assembly. Adjective The band gave a farewell concert. the singer's farewell tour seemed to last almost as long as her entire career
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Imperative verb
To bid the royals farewell a few days later, the first lady slipped into a more casual version go-to black-and-white pantsuit. Morgan Evans, USA Today, 9 June 2026 In preparation for the Alaskan wilderness, the Hoffmans and their crew shop for bear guns, bid their wives farewell, and are prayed over by a local pastor (who decides, at the last minute, to join them). Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Noun
This look has often been mentioned, less for its design than for its particular shade of green, the same one chosen by Meghan Markle for her Emilia Wickstead outfit for her farewell to the Royal Family at the 2020 Commonwealth Service. Giorgia Olivieri, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026 Furthermore, Mourinho has bid farewell to Benfica while the Lisbon giants have done likewise with their country’s most successful manager. Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Verb
To bid the royals farewell a few days later, the first lady slipped into a more casual version go-to black-and-white pantsuit. Morgan Evans, USA Today, 9 June 2026 In preparation for the Alaskan wilderness, the Hoffmans and their crew shop for bear guns, bid their wives farewell, and are prayed over by a local pastor (who decides, at the last minute, to join them). Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Adjective
The funeral, burial and farewell events for Khamenei will occur between July 4 and 9 during Muharram, a traditional period of mourning in the Shiite Muslim calendar. ABC News, 13 June 2026 The funeral, burial and farewell events for Khamenei are scheduled for July 4-9 during Muharram, a traditional period of mourning in the Shiite Muslim calendar. Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for farewell

Word History

First Known Use

Imperative Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1580, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1669, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of farewell was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Farewell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/farewell. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

farewell

1 of 3 imperative verb
fare·​well fa(ə)r-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
fe(ə)r-
: get along well
used to or by one departing

farewell

2 of 3 noun
1
: an expression of good wishes at parting : good-bye
2
: an act of departure

farewell

3 of 3 adjective
fare·​well
ˌfa(ə)r-ˌwel
ˌfe(ə)r-
: of or relating to a time or act of leaving : final
a farewell concert

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