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 Southwest flight to Dallas later departed and arrived about two hours behind schedule. Zach Wichter, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026 But with no title sponsor after Sunday, when Farmers departs after 17 years, and the PGA Tour expected to implement schedule changes beginning next year, questions have been bouncing around this week like a putt on Torrey’s poa annua greens. Jay Posner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026 On April 24, 2024, Rodriguez boarded JetBlue flight 2751, which was scheduled to depart the Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Florida for San Juan, Puerto Rico, per the indictment. Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026 The 46-foot (14-meter) fairing made its way via barge and truck to Rocket Lab's facilities at MARS, after departing from the company's California test facility in December. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for depart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depart
Verb
  • The team held a moment of silence for Good, 37, who was killed while operating a vehicle that agents ordered her to exit, according to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The Private Equity Playbook — Adam Coffey An operator’s guide to scaling, acquiring, and exiting businesses based on extensive private equity experience.
    Jennifer J. Fondrevay, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Giuffre died by suicide last year at age 41.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Lauryn Hill will perform a tribute to D'Angelo, who died of cancer in October at the age of 51, and Roberta Flack, who died in February at age 88.
    Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • By rolling MXene flakes into tubes, the team created hollow structures that allow ions to move more freely.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Karlee Smith jumped on a quad bike to help herd sheep away from the fast-moving flames on a farm in the town of Gellibrand, a small rural town, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) southwest of Melbourne.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • My father worked in the garment district on Delancey Street — the same neighborhood where, decades earlier, women perished in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire because factory owners decided safety precautions cost too much.
    Michelle A. Williams, STAT, 2 Feb. 2026
  • Not long after Bubba's funeral, the men who killed him begin to perish in a series of mysterious accidents.
    Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Several recent special elections have gone well for Democrats, including a win in Virginia in September 2025.
    Kate Perez, USA Today, 2 Feb. 2026
  • After a skirmish, Pretti escaped from the officer and went toward the crowd.
    Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 2 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • With a light snow falling outside McCamish Pavilion, Henri Veesaar gave North Carolina (17-4, 5-3 ACC) a devastating 1-2 punch on the inside with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Feb. 2026
  • These cycles, which last about 11 years, mark periods of rising and falling solar activity.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • To me, quality can be part of the formula to get audience.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Also, the cold weather is forecast to get much worse from Sunday, with temperatures dropping even further and making the time frame for a pause in attacks hard to understand.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • His half-brother, Christopher Benitez, 27, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital just after midnight on Thursday, the outlets reported.
    Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The Sixers could have easily succumbed to Sacramento’s fourth-quarter run.
    Tony Jones, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Depart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depart. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.

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