department

noun

de·part·ment di-ˈpärt-mənt

Synonyms of department next

: a distinct sphere : province

that's not my department

: a category consisting especially of a measurable activity or attribute

lacking in the trustworthiness department—

Garrison Keillor

: a functional or territorial division: such as

: a major administrative division of a government

: a major territorial administrative subdivision

: a division of a college or school giving instruction in a particular subject

: a major division of a business

: a section of a department store handling a particular kind of merchandise

: a territorial subdivision made for the administration and training of military units

departmental

di-ˌpärt-ˈmen-tᵊl

ˌdē-

adjective

departmentally

di-ˌpärt-ˈmen-tə-lē

ˌdē-

adverb

Example Sentences

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 Deputies took cover as the department’s emergency response team and crisis negotiation team were summoned to the scene. —

Sam Whiting, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Mar. 2023 Steward did say the department’s ambulances and other vehicles are in good shape and dispatchers were quickly turning around calls. —

Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2023 Interviews will be conducted Saturday, according to the police department’s post. —

Kia Fatahi, CNN, 25 Mar. 2023 Buttigieg testified before a Senate committee on his department's budget. —

Haisten Willis, Washington Examiner, 24 Mar. 2023 Two days later, the Civilian Oversight Commission released a scathing report detailing the history of gangs within the department’s ranks. —

Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2023 The department’s goal is to lower the hold time to 90 seconds for every call. —

María Ramos Pacheco, Dallas News, 24 Mar. 2023 The department's Electrical Services division reports a 33% vacancy rate, which is affecting the response time. —

Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 24 Mar. 2023 McCarter's fellow cadets painted a mural of her in the department's youth service building following her death. —

Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 23 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'department.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.