farewell

imperative verb

fare·well | \ fer-ˈwel

Definition of farewell

(Entry 1 of 4)

: get along well —used interjectionally to or by one departing

farewell

noun

fare·well | \ fer-ˈwel

Definition of farewell (Entry 2 of 4)

1 : a wish of well-being at parting : goodbye said their farewells and headed home

2a : 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

verb

fare·well | \ fer-ˈwel

Definition of farewell (Entry 3 of 4)

transitive verb

chiefly Australia and New Zealand

: to bid farewell to

farewell

adjective

fare·well | \ ˈfer-ˌwel

Definition of farewell (Entry 4 of 4)

: of or relating to leave-taking : final a farewell performance

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about farewell

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Synonyms & Antonyms for farewell

Synonyms: Noun

adieu, au revoir, ave, bon voyage, congé (also congee), Godspeed, good-bye (or good-by)

Synonyms: Adjective

parting, valedictory

Antonyms: Noun

hello

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: Noun

As for other event highlights, the chamber bid farewell to its outgoing board members and San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan installed the 2019-20 chamber board. — Pomerado News, "Chamber presents many awards during Celebration of Business," 2 July 2019 The 59-year-old Naruhito formally took his new title at the stroke of midnight, hours after his father, Emperor Akihito, bid farewell to the Japanese people, ending a 30-year reign. — Peter Landers, WSJ, "Japan’s New Emperor Ascends to Chrysanthemum Throne After Father Abdicates," 30 Apr. 2019 Hello, Apple Music, Podcasts, and TV Apple is finally bidding farewell to iTunes for the Mac, breaking the bloated software into three more focused apps: Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Apple TV. — Chris Welch, The Verge, "macOS Catalina first look: goodbye iTunes, hello iPad apps on Mac," 24 June 2019 Huntington Beach’s Ocean View High School bid farewell to about 300 graduating seniors in its Class of 2019 during a ceremony Wednesday at the school’s stadium. — Daily Pilot Staff, latimes.com, "Commencement 2019: Ocean View High School graduation," 12 June 2019 New Orleans has bid farewell to its Queen of Creole Cuisine. — Shauna Stuart | Sstuart@al.com, al.com, "Six Alabama chefs on the culinary legacy of Leah Chase," 11 June 2019 After the event, the Queen will bid farewell to the president and his wife in Portsmouth. — PEOPLE.com, "Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles Join Donald and Melania Trump for D-Day Event," 5 June 2019 In April 2019, Dwayne officially bid farewell to the NBA, and one month later the couple was spotted attending the Met Gala together. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "'AGT' Judge Gabrielle Union and Her Husband Dwayne Wade Have Been Through It All," 28 May 2019 This summer is your chance to bid farewell to the last slice of that legendary Anchorage bar scene. — Donna Freedman, Anchorage Daily News, "Farewell to the 'Follies’: Mr. Whitekeys says his shows are ending — for good, this time," 12 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The Vans Warped Tour said its goodbye to fans in 2018, with a farewell trek that included a stop at Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View. — Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, "Vans Warped Tour 2019: Top 11 acts to catch at only West Coast stop," 9 July 2019 One last thing: Under the new rules, economy passengers will also be treated to farewell chocolates, handed out during the descent: the perfect sweet distraction from re-entry turbulence. — Louis Cheslaw, Condé Nast Traveler, "Delta Is Revamping Its Long-Haul Economy Class," 2 July 2019 Merkel, 64, was attending a farewell ceremony for Justice Minister Katarina Barley, who is leaving to become a lawmaker in the European Parliament. — NBC News, "Germany's Merkel seen shaking for second time this month," 27 June 2019 Follow up wins against Spain and Denmark were laboured, while a farewell loss against New Zealand was even more disappointing. — SI.com, "Women's World Cup: Why England Won't Be Lifting the Trophy Unless Things Quickly Improve," 24 June 2019 She bids farewell next Sunday with an outdoor album release concert at Encinitas’ Heritage Ranch. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "11 things to do in San Diego this weekend: San Diego Scottish Highland Games, Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-off, Old Globe’s ‘As You Like It’," 21 June 2019 Grisham attended a farewell reception held by Craft PR agency in Washington D.C. on Wednesday for outgoing top Treasury department spokesman Tony Sayegh, another candidate for White House press secretary. — Fin Gomez, CBS News, "Melania Trump's spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham remains top contender for White House press secretary," 20 June 2019 In the evening, gather for a farewell dinner and share stories about our exciting adventures. — National Geographic, "Tanzania Family Journey: A Serengeti Safari," 17 June 2019 In The Last Waltz, Martin Scorsese’s film of The Band’s 1976 farewell concert, Dr. John is one of the most memorable guests. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, "Dr. John’s Reverent Subversion of New Orleans Cliché," 7 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'farewell.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.