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 Having departed City as a free agent at 32, Stones needs a club sharing that view. Cerys Jones, New York Times, 20 July 2026 Zwirner is the latest gallery to leave the block, following Nara Roesler in 2020 and, more recently, Hauser & Wirth, which departed last year. News Desk, Artforum, 20 July 2026 The final leg departed Seattle late that night and landed the next morning in Miami. ABC News, 19 July 2026 My luggage was also missing until an hour before the ship departed. Josh Rivera, USA Today, 19 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for depart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depart
Verb
  • That was a goalless draw for the men’s team against Petrolul Ploiesti in August 1995 being followed by a 1-0 loss in Romania to exit the now defunct Cup Winners’ Cup at the qualifying stage.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • But prices at the pump began to climb again after Iran resumed attacks on ships trying to exit the strait and after the US retaliated and put a blockade on Iranian ports.
    Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • The lab got its start with studies of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the 1900s, when ranchers and cattle were dying from the then-unknown disease.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • The New Empire, died today, July 21, in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • Russia has used ports such as Astrakhan and Olya to move military cargo between Iran and Russia, according to analysts.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • The annual judging is done by examining the photos of the works, given that the medium, blackboards, can’t be moved easily.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • At least 5,000 people perished, most of them in La Guaira state, a strip of cities and slums crammed between the coastal cordillera and the Caribbean Sea, half an hour from Caracas.
    Rafael Osío Cabrices, Time, 20 July 2026
  • People working on ships, as well as foreign workers and others in gulf nations, Israel and Lebanon have also perished in the conflict.
    Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026
Verb
  • The whole scene looks like Carmy went full Dexter on the back of house crew.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 20 July 2026
  • Over the past week, the conflict between the United States and Iran has gone from a simmering tit-for-tat to something that much more resembles all-out war.
    Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • The Odyssey are being produced by Insight Editions for late summer and fall releases.
    Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • The situation becomes less complicated if a mango from a neighbor’s tree falls onto your property.
    Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • When Marshall showed up, Reyes and Chamberlain both fired guns at Marshall as Marshall tried to get away, according to the affidavit.
    Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026
  • The idea is that the more of the filter feeders cling to the seawall, the cleaner the canal gets.
    Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • If neither is an option, choose plants that like moisture and won’t succumb to root rot.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 July 2026
  • Someone on the way out steals that mask, leaving Juliette in danger of succumbing to the poison.
    Noel Murray, Vulture, 17 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Depart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depart. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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