Definition of departnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb depart contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of depart are deviate, digress, diverge, swerve, and veer. While all these words mean "to turn aside from a straight course," depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.

occasionally departs from his own guidelines

Where would deviate be a reasonable alternative to depart?

The synonyms deviate and depart are sometimes interchangeable, but deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.

never deviated from her daily routine

When could digress be used to replace depart?

While the synonyms digress and depart are close in meaning, digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.

a professor prone to digress

How do diverge and depart relate to one another?

Diverge may equal depart but usually suggests a branching of a main path into two or more leading in different directions.

after school their paths diverged

When is it sensible to use swerve instead of depart?

The meanings of swerve and depart largely overlap; however, swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness.

swerved to avoid hitting the dog

When can veer be used instead of depart?

The words veer and depart are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, veer implies a major change in direction.

at that point the path veers to the right

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 depart The lack of run support put pressure on the bullpen to maintain the one-run lead after Imanaga departed. Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026 May 20, 2026Ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions says the MV Hondius will depart for its next trip, carrying passengers around the Svalbard islands near the North Pole for seven days, starting June 13. Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 Lock your home before departing. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026 The character of Kono appeared on 99 episodes, with Zulu departing after the fourth season. Louis Peitzman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for depart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depart
Verb
  • The Dodgers stretched their lead with two runs in the seventh inning and another in the eighth, Ohtani exiting along the way.
    Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 12 June 2026
  • Earlier in the game Thursday, Dodgers starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski exited with a bruised right hamstring.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Australia's only other fatal shark attack this year occurred in January, when a 12-year-old boy died in a hospital days after he was mauled by a bull shark in Sydney Harbor.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 June 2026
  • In January, a 12-year-old also died a week after he was attacked by a shark in Sydney Harbor.
    Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • Weather service meteorologist Frank Pereira said the system that produced the storms, including high winds and hail, was moving eastward Thursday, fueled by cool air from Canada clashing with warm, humid air from the South.
    CBS News, CBS News, 12 June 2026
  • If the caffeine has already moved further along, doctors may use a laxative or a gastric lavage a procedure that uses a tube to wash out the contents of the stomach.
    Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • The hip denizens of LA's east side would surely perish without it.
    Alanna Bennett, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 June 2026
  • His mother made little or no reference to the Austrian relatives who had been snatched from Vienna’s glamorous cultural swirl and sent off to perish in the Nazi camps.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • In order to appease the Production Code, and facing pressure from the Roman Catholic League of Decency, Lolita’s age was never referenced in the film, and the physical relationship between Lolita and Humbert Humbert went undepicted.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
  • But after struggling on the road before losing consecutive games at home against Las Vegas and Dallas amid a three-game losing streak, the Sparks needed something to go right.
    Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • For the Fever, who entered the season as championship contenders, the first 10 games have fallen well short of expectations, as scrutiny continues to mount on head coach Stephanie White.
    Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2026
  • Migrant arrivals in the Canary Islands peaked in 2024 at nearly 47,000, but have fallen dramatically, with just over 2,000 people landing there in the first four months of 2026.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • There's about to be a lot of focus on soccer for the next month, what with the World Cup getting underway, but MLB is scoring itself some heat by bringing some serious heat.
    Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
  • Good old Michelob beer sold in red, white, and blue cans poured from the concessions; helicopters choppered overhead for a flyover and movie stars got face time.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • Designed to ensure that players don’t succumb to desiccation under steamy stateside conditions, FIFA’s new hydration breaks also function as a convenient pause in the action from which to sell beer, sneakers and sporty compact sedans.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 June 2026
  • Suresh was transported to a nearby hospital and later succumbed to her injuries.
    Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Depart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depart. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

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