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
Synonyms
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
In 2008, a DNA profile from the remains was uploaded to CODIS, a national database of DNA profiles, but no leads were generated, the sheriff's department said.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024
The sheriff’s department on Tuesday declined to comment further on the case and referred questions to the California Department of Justice, which is investigating the shooting.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
City records indicate that the department visited the restaurant three times last month, each time advising that employees needed proper paperwork.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
Hickman, the lawsuit continued to allege, contacted Peoria’s finance and human resource departments asking that her resignation be treated as a separation.
—Shawn Raymundo, The Arizona Republic, 3 Apr. 2024
The department also underestimated how much money roughly half a million students could put toward their college bills next fall.
—Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Lawrence Police are asking anyone who has seen Brings Plenty or his vehicle to call 911 or the department’s crime stoppers line at 785-843-8477.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024
Six inmates — an atheist, a Baptist, a Muslim, a Seventh Day Adventist and two men who practice Santeria — are suing the department in charge of the state’s prisons in the hopes that they will be allowed out in the prison yard to view the total solar eclipse April 8.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
Deputies offered support from a distance while calling paramedics to the site, the department said in a news release, but then Hijaz moved toward them and did not comply with warnings to stop.
—Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Kerry Breen, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024
The sheriff’s department on Tuesday declined to comment further on the case and referred questions to the California Department of Justice, which is investigating the shooting.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
City records indicate that the department visited the restaurant three times last month, each time advising that employees needed proper paperwork.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
Hickman, the lawsuit continued to allege, contacted Peoria’s finance and human resource departments asking that her resignation be treated as a separation.
—Shawn Raymundo, The Arizona Republic, 3 Apr. 2024
The department also underestimated how much money roughly half a million students could put toward their college bills next fall.
—Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Lawrence Police are asking anyone who has seen Brings Plenty or his vehicle to call 911 or the department’s crime stoppers line at 785-843-8477.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024
Six inmates — an atheist, a Baptist, a Muslim, a Seventh Day Adventist and two men who practice Santeria — are suing the department in charge of the state’s prisons in the hopes that they will be allowed out in the prison yard to view the total solar eclipse April 8.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
Deputies offered support from a distance while calling paramedics to the site, the department said in a news release, but then Hijaz moved toward them and did not comply with warnings to stop.
—Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
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.
Dictionary Entries Near department
Cite this Entry
“Department.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/department. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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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