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 letter detailed that the White Bear Lake Police department is now conducting an investigation into the incident, and said that the individual was now in police custody.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
The athletic department hired Davonte Higginbottom on July 16 as its new NIL strategist, and Yurachek said collegiate sports marketing company Learfield is further helping with agreements.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2025
The message to Labor Department employees was unsigned by leadership and was sent from a generic department email address that doesn't accept replies, said one department employee who requested anonymity due to fear of reprisal.
—Shannon Bond, NPR, 30 Sep. 2025
Lhuillier has something for you in this department, too.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 30 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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Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
The athletic department hired Davonte Higginbottom on July 16 as its new NIL strategist, and Yurachek said collegiate sports marketing company Learfield is further helping with agreements.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2025
The message to Labor Department employees was unsigned by leadership and was sent from a generic department email address that doesn't accept replies, said one department employee who requested anonymity due to fear of reprisal.
—Shannon Bond, NPR, 30 Sep. 2025
Lhuillier has something for you in this department, too.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 30 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 1 Oct. 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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