DEPARTED Synonyms: 189 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'departed' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of departed are dead , deceased , defunct , and late . While all these words mean "devoid of life," departed is used usually as a euphemism. // our departed sister

Q: When is 'dead' a more appropriate choice than 'departed'?

While in some cases nearly identical to departed , dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life. // a dead , listless performance

Q: How does the word 'deceased' relate to other synonyms for 'departed'?

Deceased , departed , and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use. // the estate of the deceased

Q: When might 'defunct' be a better fit than 'departed'?

The words defunct and departed are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation. // a defunct television series

Q: In what contexts can 'late' take the place of 'departed'?

In some situations, the words late and departed are roughly equivalent. However, late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status. // the company's late president

departed 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈpär-təd

Definition of departed

as in extinct

no longer existing a few crumbling ruins are all that remain of that departed civilization

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fallen

no longer living our dear departed friend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

departed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of depart

as in exited

to leave a place often for another I'll sing one more song before I depart

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in died

to stop living a special tribute for those members of the motion picture academy who have departed over the past year

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective departed contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of departed are dead, deceased, defunct, and late. While all these words mean "devoid of life," departed is used usually as a euphemism.

our departed sister

When is dead a more appropriate choice than departed?

While in some cases nearly identical to departed, dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life.

a dead, listless performance

How does the word deceased relate to other synonyms for departed?

Deceased, departed, and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use.

the estate of the deceased

When might defunct be a better fit than departed?

The words defunct and departed are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation.

a defunct television series

In what contexts can late take the place of departed?

In some situations, the words late and departed are roughly equivalent. However, late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status.

the company's late president

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 departed

Adjective

Judaism approaches these moments with deep sensitivity, offering guidance not to judge or criticize, but to bring dignity, comfort, and peace—to the soul of the departed and to those left behind. — Rabbi Moishe Kievman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026

Verb

He was then pulled onto the tracks and run over as the train departed the station. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 29 Sep. 2026 After an anecdote having to do with cocaine use in another band around the time that guitarist Jimmy McColloch departed, Apatow asked if drugs were a big issue in Wings starting to fall apart in the late ’70s, but McCartney balked at that idea. — Chris Willman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for departed

Recent Examples of Synonyms for departed

Adjective

El Adli said the fossils likely belonged to an animal from one of two extinct mammal families that roamed North America during the Uintan North American Land Mammal Age.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
And none of the scientists could match his distinct nose to anything alive or extinct.

— Niranjana Rajalakshmi, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of extinct

Adjective

The objectors' subsequent ululation echoed a requiem for a fallen hero--all over a time shift that accessing the PBS app avoids entirely.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
Um Mohammad Adas, whose relatives were among those killed Wednesday, said the fallen building had become a shelter of last resort.

— Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of fallen

Verb

Cindy Holland, who led Paramount’s streaming division, exited yesterday, paving the way for HBO chief Casey Bloys to take the reins.

— Brian Welk, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026
Grande also withdrew from the upcoming London West End revival of Sunday in the Park With George, which was scrapped after Jonathan Bailey also exited the production.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of exited

Adjective

Lively had been with Sloane for more than two decades, dating to the early days of her acting career when Sloane was a senior rep at the now-defunct firm BWR.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
This type of interference can effectively render a targeted spacecraft defunct, blocking critical military navigation and intel.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of defunct

Adjective

Historical Artist of the Year Honoring a deceased artist who is the subject of a major museum survey that offers a new lens with which to examine their work.

— Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
In the same month Netflix released Train Dreams, the film version of Denis Johnson’s revered short novel about a logger whose deceased baby daughter visits him in the form of a wolf.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of deceased

Verb

And in the subadult part of the bracket, Bear #89 (Backpack) and Brady Bunch member 620 each moved onto the next round.

— Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 25 Sep. 2026
But Booker, according to Mills, brought Blumenthal—Connecticut’s other senator—into the effort and ultimately moved forward with a bill, against Murphy’s wishes.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of moved

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

Definition of perished

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“Departed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/departed. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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