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 Starship would then depart Earth orbit, travel to lunar orbit and rendezvous with astronauts there for a down-and-back foray to the moon’s surface. — Lee Billings, Scientific American, 28 Sep. 2026 Achane had three carries for 17 yards before departing on Miami’s first possession. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2026 The dine-in omakase counter has sadly departed, but in its stead, Café Sushi Shoten has adopted a to-go model paired with Japanese groceries and sundries that is no less authentic, engaging, and delicious. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026 Thanksgiving The most expensive and popular day when departing for the holiday is Wednesday. — Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for depart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depart
Verb
  • Investing more heavily in technology, shifting resources to a newer product line or exiting an activity with poor long-term economics are rational decisions.
    — Erik Clarke, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Six days after Guillen collapsed while exiting X2, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson rode the roller coaster.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Pressure for action on all types of kratom is mounting after two students at the University of Mississippi died this month, with kratom products found on the scene in both cases.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Fiona Hepler Lowe, the daughter of actor Chad Lowe and Kim Painter, has died.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • There are about a million moving parts, and everybody involved is an outsized character.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Justices Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Sonia Sotomayor dissented, arguing that allowing the case to move forward prevents the lower court from considering Pike’s allegations from her childhood.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Pries’s suggestion, known as the inverse Galois problem, was inspired by the work of the 19th-century French mathematician Évariste Galois, who perished after he was wounded in a gun duel at age 20.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026
  • As a result, more people have now died of environmental illnesses that followed the September 11 attacks than perished during the collapse of the towers that day.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • As previously reported, the Laneway shows in Perth and Adelaide have been scaled back and will go ahead as sideshows.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Many of those conversations went viral or became news in their own right.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Court dances fell out of fashion as monarchs fell from power.
    — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Odds of a Fed hike at its October meeting fell further, with traders now pricing in a hold, per the CME Group’s FedWatch tool.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • In keeping with the concept, this Lee gets more of his own arc, driven by his own decisions and developed enough to rival his employers for the center of the show.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The performer who got his start in local Atlanta comedy clubs is currently crisscrossing the United States on tour.
    — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Rejecting Question Three would send a powerful signal that not every American is ready to succumb to cynicism and propagate the worst parts of our political culture.
    — Colin Pascal, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Moore succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital later in the morning.
    — Jessie DiMartino, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Depart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depart. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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