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 In March, BioNTech announced that Sahin and his cofounder and wife Özlem Türeci, the company’s chief medical officer, would depart the company to lead a new biotech focused on developing mRNA medicines. Andrew Joseph, STAT, 3 Aug. 2026 Mikey Moore joined the group after spending last season on loan at Rangers, and could depart again for the season, with Borussia Dortmund among his suitors. Elias Burke, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Trump made the announcement after the State Department urged Americans across the Middle East to consider leaving the region or be prepared to depart on short notice. Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 2 Aug. 2026 Americans in the region should consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation. Nathan Diller, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for depart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depart
Verb
  • Cooper and Hadid sparked dating rumors in October 2023 when they were photographed leaving the West Village restaurant Via Carota and exiting via the same SUV, per the Daily Mail.
    Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Brent's price careened between $72 and $102 last month as worries rose and fell about when the war with Iran would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again to deliver crude to customers worldwide.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Months prior, in March, heavy rains caused landslides and floods in Ethiopia’s southern Gamo Zone area, and over 100 people died.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Nearly 1,700 children died from Covid-19 between 2020 and 2023, CDC data shows.
    Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The Gemini Moon moves through your 9th House of Learning and sextiles the Leo Sun in your 11th House of Community, helping big-picture thinking connect with friends, groups, or shared goals.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Though less significant than the Strait of Hormuz, around 12% of the world’s trade, including a fourth of global container traffic, once passed through Bab el-Mandeb, moving between Europe and Asia via Egypt’s Suez Canal.
    Fatma Khaled, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The nation had just lost 18 of its most promising skaters, while 16 others, including family members, officials, judges and coaches – including Fleming’s own coach, Bill Kipp – all perished in the crash.
    Emile Nuh, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Spencer Long, his wife and three sons perished while on a hiking trip.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Verb
  • Second, and perhaps more scientific (as far as these things go) is the fact that Sunfyre had not, in any way, begun to rot.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • And Eno and myself at that time were coming into the studio a little bit earlier than everybody in the morning just to get something going.
    Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • For years, the FDA has fallen far short on meeting its modest annual goals for foreign food facility inspections, the US Government Accountability Office has found, as the agency struggled to hire and train inspectors.
    Yahya Abou-Ghazala, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • On Monday, an 18-year-old was seriously injured after falling onto an elevated platform.
    Ubah Ali, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • At age 16, Armstrong made his first solo flight and got his pilot's license.
    ABC News, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Also, the Grindr is all guys either dressed up for pup play or wearing ladies’ panties, which is also not my idea of a good time, but slightly better than getting your foot stuck in a wet, mossy hole.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Charlotte Flair’s gear was dedicated to a young WWE fan named Scarlett who recently succumbed to brain cancer.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • By the time officers arrived at the scene, an unidentified female victim had succumbed to her injuries, Smith said.
    Jessie DiMartino, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Depart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depart. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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