depart

verb

de·​part di-ˈpärt 

dē-

departed; departing; departs

intransitive verb

1

a

: to go away : leave

b

: die

2

: to turn aside : deviate

transitive verb

: to go away from : leave

Synonyms

• bail
• bail out
• begone
• book [slang]
• bug off
• bug out
• bugger off [British slang]
• buzz (off)
• clear off [chiefly British]
• clear out
• cut out
• dig out
• exit
• get
• get off
• go
• go off
• move
• pack (up or off)
• part
• peel off
• pike (out or off)
• pull out
• push off
• push on
• quit
• run along
• sally (forth)
• scarper [British]
• shove (off)
• step (along)
• take off
• vamoose
• walk out

Choose the Right Synonym for depart

swerve, veer, deviate, depart, digress, diverge mean to turn aside from a straight course.

swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness.

swerved to avoid hitting the dog

veer implies a major change in direction.

at that point the path veers to the right

deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.

never deviated from her daily routine

depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.

occasionally departs from his own guidelines

digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.

a professor prone to digress

diverge may equal depart but usually suggests a branching of a main path into two or more leading in different directions.

after school their paths diverged

Examples of depart in a Sentence

The group is scheduled to depart tomorrow at 8:00 a.m.

Our flight departs at 6:15 a.m.

The train departed the station on time.

He is departing after 20 years with the company.

Recent Examples on the Web

Kim departed for Russia late Sunday, joined by his foreign minister and senior military officials, North Korea’s official Korea Central News Agency said. —Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023

The North Korean leader departed the capital, Pyongyang, on Sunday afternoon in a private train, accompanied by top officials, North Korean state media KCNA confirmed on Tuesday morning local time. —Jake Kwon, CNN, 11 Sep. 2023

After Ewers departed — and for all intents and purposes, the experience more closely resembled a decommitment than a transfer — OSU found Devin Brown. —Nathan Baird, cleveland, 11 Sep. 2023

Lucas departed to begin the second half after struggling with a sore knee that has bothered him since training camp. —Bob Condotta, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Sep. 2023

The refugees, the suicides, the disabled, the unsheltered, the traumatized, the ones who have departed this reality. —Viet Thanh Nguyen, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2023

The credits may be used toward sailings departing within a year. —Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2023

The Woburn principal at the time of the attack, Jessica Callanan, later departed for Reading Memorial High School. —Bob Hohler, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2023

Soon after their explosive night together, Shekinah was due to depart from Turkey and return to Los Angeles — which Sarper assumed would put an end to their romance. —Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 31 Aug. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to divide, part company, from Anglo-French departir, from de- + partir to divide, from Latin partire, from part-, pars part

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing depart

• depart this life

• depart this life

Kids Definition

depart

verb

de·​part di-ˈpärt 

1

a

: to go away or go away from : leave

b

: die entry 1 sense 1

2

: to turn aside : deviate

Legal Definition

depart

intransitive verb

de·​part

: to fail to follow : deviate from a course or standard

rather than sentencing petitioners to a term within the Guideline range, however, the District Court departed downward eight levels

—Koon v. United States, 518 U.S. 81 (1996)