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

Columbus’s first transatlantic voyage departed from Spain with three ships, searching for a route west to Asia. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 July 2026 Dobrev departed after the show’s sixth season in 2015, but returned for the finale. — Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for departed

Recent Examples of Synonyms for departed

Adjective

Inside the 400,000-year-old extinct volcanic cinder cone, which is about 40 miles northeast of Flagstaff, are artwork and a naked-eye observatory with tunnels and chambers aligned with solar, lunar and stellar events.

— Rebecca 'Becca' Dyer, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2026
And people here once spoke now extinct Norn, an Old Norse language.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026

Definition of extinct

Adjective

Three of the fallen soldiers whose bodies were returned to the United States were killed by Iranians attack on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.

— Joey Garrison, USA Today, 23 July 2026
The broadcaster went on to shout out a couple of his fallen comrades.

— Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026

Definition of fallen

Verb

To make matters worse, All-Star first baseman Nick Kurtz exited the game with a left forearm contusion after he was hit by a pitch in the first inning.

— Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
Fever star center Aliyah Boston exited early with an apparent knee injury after landing awkwardly.

— Chantz Martin OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of exited

Verb

Stacy co-sponsored a controversial bill that ultimately died in 2023, HB 419, which sought to ban gender transition procedures, hormones and puberty blockers for minors.

— Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
One of the victims died at the hospital, Seattle Police Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis said in a news briefing late Sunday.

— Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 27 July 2026

Definition of died

Adjective

The now-defunct Broward airline has chosen a lead bidder in the auction of its former corporate headquarters in Dania Beach, among its most valuable assets.

— Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
And defunct iIndustry supplied artistic entrepreneurs with adaptable real-estate discards, like London’s Bankside Power Station, which evolved into Herzog & de Meuron’s Tate Modern.

— Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026

Definition of defunct

Adjective

The majority are retirees, but the Social Security Administration (SSA) also provides regular income to disabled workers, widowed spouses and children of deceased workers.

— Brian Sloan, CNBC, 21 July 2026
The face of deceased founder Maurice White looms in the background.

— DeAsia Paige, AJC.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of deceased

Verb

Johnson was born in southern California and grew up in Omaha after her family moved there.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
The charge, which has since been dropped, was related to a dispute Dillon had with her former neighbors who had since moved and did not pursue the case, her lawsuit said.

— Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 25 July 2026

Definition of moved

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

Definition of perished

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“Departed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/departed. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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