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 Travelers who are required to pay a visa bond must enter and depart the U.S. through specific ports of entry, which will be announced at a later date. Monica Pitrelli, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2025 That's about 565,000 people who overstayed versus the more than 38 million foreign travelers who departed on time. Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2025 The system is still embroiled in the scandal over its departing chancellor, Terrence Cheng, who last year was abusing his expense account despite his annual compensation of nearly $500,000. Chris Powell, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2025 President Donald Trump departs the White House en route to Bedminster, New Jersey, on August 1 in Washington, D.C. Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for depart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depart
Verb
  • Southbound drivers can exit to westbound 141st Street but can’t go east.
    John Tuohy, IndyStar, 7 Aug. 2025
  • But the bullet exited Welch's head, and that same bullet hit Palmer, a bystander who was attempting to act as a peacemaker, Worthy said.
    Andrea May Sahouri, Freep.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Superstore star Jon Miyahara, who played Brett on all six seasons of the NBC comedy, has died at 83.
    Lauren Huff Published, EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Local police reported one person had died and five injured with stab wounds.
    Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Mederos had been more over the top, but the Angels moved his arm down about 10 degrees.
    Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 14 Aug. 2025
  • As hundreds of National Guard troops deployed on Tuesday in the nation's capital, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said homeless people in Washington, D.C., who refuse to move into shelters will face prosecution or fines.
    Brian Mann, NPR, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Factory ships deplete fisheries in a matter of years and an inordinate amount of sea life also perishes in their nets.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2025
  • The mid-tier, stripped of its traditional competitive advantages, is being forced into an uncomfortable choice: pivot or perish.
    Daniel Newman, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Preston went missing for the first time in 1990, McCollum said.
    Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • Other posts remain online long after going viral — even if the comments section is flooded with fans noting that a video or picture is falsified or abusive.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • But, if wages don’t rise to match those jumps, consumer spending could fall and slow the economy.
    Raul Elizalde, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • That rotation has left the market for 1950s and 1960s cars with oversupply and falling prices.
    Robert Frank, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The Senators’ previous owner, the late Eugene Melnyk, put the wheels in motion for a potential project at LeBreton Flats back in 2016, but was never able to get the project off the ground.
    Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Students apply separately to get into magnet programs.
    Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Since then, that offensive production has all but disappeared.
    John Shipley, Twin Cities, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Silhouette’s Atelier line takes the cat-eye into ethereal territory with a silhouette that lifts the face and disappears on it.
    Dan Michel, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Depart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depart. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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