1
as in departure
the act of leaving a place
the leave-taking of the guest of honor was scheduled for 11 o'clock
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in farewell
the act or process of two or more persons going off in different directions
the sweethearts' leave-taking was filled with tearful pauses and promises to meet again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leave-taking
Read More: 8 Polite Ways to Decline a Party Invitation
The second part of leave-taking is expressing your gratitude to the host, which calls for another straightforward and succinct two words.
—
Angela Haupt, Time, 8 Dec. 2025
How can a child understand this kind of leave-taking?
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 26 Jan. 2024
With Nitti’s leave-taking, McEntire sent home Noah Spencer and Ms. Monet, with Ruby Leigh, Jordan Ranier and Jacquie Roar moving on to the live shows.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 28 Nov. 2023
Forest fires were lowering human birth weights, zoo chimpanzees in Kyoto enjoy virtual forests, and the chimpanzees of the Bossou community are formal in their greetings but unceremonious in their leave-taking.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Feb. 2022
Angela Haupt, Time, 8 Dec. 2025
How can a child understand this kind of leave-taking?
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 26 Jan. 2024
With Nitti’s leave-taking, McEntire sent home Noah Spencer and Ms. Monet, with Ruby Leigh, Jordan Ranier and Jacquie Roar moving on to the live shows.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 28 Nov. 2023
Forest fires were lowering human birth weights, zoo chimpanzees in Kyoto enjoy virtual forests, and the chimpanzees of the Bossou community are formal in their greetings but unceremonious in their leave-taking.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Feb. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leave-taking
Noun
-
Werner will be a welcome addition to the Quakes’ attack after the departure of Josef Martinez to Tijuana.—
Mercury News,
Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The move marks a departure from past administrations, which have typically moved quickly to open Justice Department civil rights reviews of fatal encounters involving law enforcement, even when criminal charges were considered unlikely.—
Greg Wehner , Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But Eleven's farewell didn't feel ambiguous to everyone involved with Stranger Things.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Jan. 2026
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In March, the department store bid farewell to 66 stores in its first wave of closures.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leave-taking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leave-taking. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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