plural farewells
formal + literary
1
: something that you say to a person who is leaving : goodbye
She bid/wished me farewell.
They said their farewells and headed home.
a fond farewell
2
: an act of leaving
I will take my farewell of this place tomorrow. [=I will leave this place tomorrow]
ˈfeɚˌwɛl
always used before a noun
: done when someone is leaving, ending a career, etc.
The band gave a farewell concert.
a farewell party/speech/performance
feɚˈwɛl
farewells; farewelled; farewelling
chiefly Australia + New Zealand
: to bid farewell to (someone who is leaving)
The retiring teacher was farewelled by the whole school at a special assembly.
Cite this Entry
“Farewell.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/farewell. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
