1
as in to abandon
to cause to remain behind
you can leave your lunch in the refrigerator while we're outside starry-eyed lovers who promise never to leave one another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to quit
to give up (a job or office)
he left his job in the city and moved out into the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to hand
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
why don't you leave your watch with me while you swim?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to dump
to end a usually intimate relationship with
is there ever a good way to leave a lover?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to let
to give permission to
aw, leave him come
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in vacation
a period during which the usual routine of school or work is suspended
the soldier was on leave for three days before having to report back to base
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in permission
the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something
the editor gave the reporters leave to follow up on their initial investigation of the senator's fund-raising practices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in departure
the act of leaving a place
the party was clearly dying down, and it was time to take our leave
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of leave
Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
Prosecutors alleged Read hit O'Keefe with her car outside the home of a fellow police officer after a night of heavy drinking in January 2022 and then left him to die there during a major blizzard.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 15 July 2025
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
Legislation introduced this year in New York and New Jersey aims to address menopause in the workplace by preventing discrimination, extending workplace protections and requiring employers to allow remote work or paid leave for employees with symptoms.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for leave
Verb
But that leaves him navigating the same choppy local political waters that Sternberg failed to cross, as multiple efforts to build a new area stadium have capsized.
—Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
Prosecutors alleged Read hit O'Keefe with her car outside the home of a fellow police officer after a night of heavy drinking in January 2022 and then left him to die there during a major blizzard.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 15 July 2025
Noun
Snip off affected foliage and discard it if aphids are present on only a few leaves or stems, says Khan.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
Legislation introduced this year in New York and New Jersey aims to address menopause in the workplace by preventing discrimination, extending workplace protections and requiring employers to allow remote work or paid leave for employees with symptoms.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for leave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leave
Verb
-
That doesn't mean abandoning your message, just finding the right entry point for your audience in that moment.—
Rachel Weissman,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
Nothing in the proposal Trump announced on Monday is likely to force Putin to abandon that objective.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
Before his death, Rodin bequeathed all his works and possessions to France.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
The former estate was bequeathed to the Swiss state in 1973, according to the Geneva government.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 May 2025
Verb
-
Money has also been spent on nongovernmental organization programs that hand out clean needles and crack pipes as part of progressive harm reduction policies instead of encouraging homeless drug users to quit.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
14 July 2025
-
Although the overall unemployment rate is just 4.1%, few people are quitting jobs today, and employers are skittish about hiring.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
13 July 2025
Verb
-
Foxx has centered her criticism on establishment Democrats circling the wagons for establishment candidates, noting that three senior Democratic members of Congress died within the first six months of Trump’s second term, handing Republicans a larger advantage.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
The Supreme Court has handed Trump one victory after another in his effort to remake the federal government, after lower courts have found the administration’s actions probably violate federal law.—
Mark Sherman,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
And one recent event included a surprise appearance from two contestants who were recently dumped from the island.—
Jennifer Liu,
CNBC,
11 July 2025
-
The bout of storms comes after torrential rainfall Tuesday night dumped nearly 5.5 inches of rain within 90 minutes, prompting reports of flooding in basements and viaducts on the city’s West Side.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Rather than let the tariffs kick in, Trump postponed them again, this time to August 1st.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
-
Taylor was never interested in letting her health hold her back from traveling.—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
With so much happening around the world, many travelers are turning to vacations as a way to reset, looking not just for adventure, but for rest, reflection and renewal.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
If your vacation gets disrupted, locals’ lives do too.—
Skye Sherman,
Travel + Leisure,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
Still, many members of the church don’t want to stop attending Mass even if leaders give them permission.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 July 2025
-
Castillo denies that anyone in the department would give approval for the locks to be removed, and the man can’t name the individual who gave him permission, according to Castillo.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leave. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share