as in departing
Related Words
Relevance
as in retirement
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in abandoning
to cause to remain behind
you can leave your lunch in the refrigerator while we're outside starry-eyed lovers who promise never to leave one another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bequeathing
to give by means of a will
I'm going to leave all of my possessions to my children
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in quitting
to give up (a job or office)
he left his job in the city and moved out into the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in handing
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
why don't you leave your watch with me while you swim?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in dumping
to end a usually intimate relationship with
is there ever a good way to leave a lover?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in letting
to give permission to
aw, leave him come
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 leaving
Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 1 May 2026
The Hauler has no cab (essentially a self-driving platform) and is designed for 40-foot and 53-foot shipping containers and runs dock-to-dock—unloading at the destination rather than dropping a trailer and leaving.
—Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
In post-pandemic Shanghai, two women — one leaving, one staying — share a single electric night wandering the city.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
Mascherano is not the only one leaving.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Mays then drove up to the man, got out of his car and shot him before getting back inside the vehicle and leaving, according to the report.
—David Goodhue
april 13, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
With Peterson, Council and White leaving, the Jayhawks will lose three starters who combined to average 47 points per game.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
Additional markets, lighting and winter programming across nearby streets could encourage visitors to explore multiple blocks rather than visiting one location and leaving.
—Liam Stanton, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
The drone captured two sets of ski tracks entering the avalanche area, but only one leaving, officials said.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2026
Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
The complementary conditioner dials up the moisture with shea butter, murumuru butter, and amino acids to smooth and strengthen—leaving hair soft, bouncy, and ready for styling.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Apr. 2026
At one stage of the review process, authorities even restricted two Manus co-founders from leaving the country, according to the Financial Times.
—Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Graham suggested shifting the project to rely on public funding, offset by federal fees, while leaving private money for extras.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
For decades, nonprofits in Connecticut have operated under chronic underfunding, leaving them with less buying power, thinner margins, and fewer tools to meet rising demand.
—David Rich, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
The report confirmed tracking data reported earlier by CBS News that showed the Idemitsu Maru leaving the Persian Gulf via the strait on Tuesday morning.
—CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
The Cubs stranded a season-high 17 runners on base Tuesday, their first win when leaving at least 17 on base since June 2, 2018, and their first at Wrigley Field since July 3, 2010 (both also had 17 LOB).
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
Two Los Alamos National Laboratory employees, Anthony Chavez and Melissa Casias, vanished weeks apart in 2025 under nearly identical circumstances, each leaving behind their car, keys, wallet, and phone.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
Ferguson had given up on him and set up Rooney’s departure, supposedly to Chelsea, in what was described behind the scenes at Old Trafford as a leaving present for United’s next manager, David Moyes.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 1 May 2026
The Hauler has no cab (essentially a self-driving platform) and is designed for 40-foot and 53-foot shipping containers and runs dock-to-dock—unloading at the destination rather than dropping a trailer and leaving.
—Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
In post-pandemic Shanghai, two women — one leaving, one staying — share a single electric night wandering the city.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
Mascherano is not the only one leaving.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Mays then drove up to the man, got out of his car and shot him before getting back inside the vehicle and leaving, according to the report.
—David Goodhue
april 13, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
With Peterson, Council and White leaving, the Jayhawks will lose three starters who combined to average 47 points per game.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
Additional markets, lighting and winter programming across nearby streets could encourage visitors to explore multiple blocks rather than visiting one location and leaving.
—Liam Stanton, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
The drone captured two sets of ski tracks entering the avalanche area, but only one leaving, officials said.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2026
Verb
On Saturday, April 25, Banderas, 65, and Griffith, 68, were spotted leaving Beverly Hills sushi restaurant Matsuhisa arm-in-arm after enjoying dinner together.
—Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
The complementary conditioner dials up the moisture with shea butter, murumuru butter, and amino acids to smooth and strengthen—leaving hair soft, bouncy, and ready for styling.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Apr. 2026
At one stage of the review process, authorities even restricted two Manus co-founders from leaving the country, according to the Financial Times.
—Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Graham suggested shifting the project to rely on public funding, offset by federal fees, while leaving private money for extras.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
For decades, nonprofits in Connecticut have operated under chronic underfunding, leaving them with less buying power, thinner margins, and fewer tools to meet rising demand.
—David Rich, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
The report confirmed tracking data reported earlier by CBS News that showed the Idemitsu Maru leaving the Persian Gulf via the strait on Tuesday morning.
—CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
The Cubs stranded a season-high 17 runners on base Tuesday, their first win when leaving at least 17 on base since June 2, 2018, and their first at Wrigley Field since July 3, 2010 (both also had 17 LOB).
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
Two Los Alamos National Laboratory employees, Anthony Chavez and Melissa Casias, vanished weeks apart in 2025 under nearly identical circumstances, each leaving behind their car, keys, wallet, and phone.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leaving
Noun
-
This evocative tale explores the uncertainty of leaving home, even if departing means rejoining a cherished relationship.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Travel at some of the region’s largest airports was sharply curtailed with more than 5,000 flights — arriving and departing — were canceled Monday from Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport in Arlington, VA, north to Boston’s Logan International Airport.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Even as anthropologists were decisively abandoning totemism, however, the idea was gaining cultural credibility elsewhere.—
Glenn Adamson,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
What are the penalties for abandoning vulnerable seniors?—
Alexiah Syrai Olsen,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Effectively, Newsom’s slow roll protects him from taking any meaningful actions, thus bequeathing reparations to his successor, like his many other unresolved California issues.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Rewriting society’s decision-making Unlike biased pundits who hem, haw and hedge their bets, Web3 prediction markets cut through noise, bequeathing a signal that feeds into pricing mechanisms themselves.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Tuesday's announcement is not an approval or endorsement, and the FDA reiterated that the Glas vapes are only intended for adults interested in quitting or cutting back on cigarettes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
-
Special programs target gut health, sleep improvement and even quitting smoking, with stays ranging from four-day resets to three-week interventions.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
No one was bowing down and handing them the World Series trophy just for that, just like no one should write them off because of a bad stretch of games.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
As the Timberwolves departed off the team bus in San Antonio on Sunday ahead of Game 1, there was Donte DiVincenzo, crutching his way off the steps before handing those off to hop onto his scooter.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Severe thunderstorms barreled through the Kansas City area early Monday, unleashing frequent lightning and booming thunder, dumping torrential rain and triggering a tornado warning.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Investors bought tech stocks viewed as supporting the AI infrastructure buildout and dumping those seen as threatened by its adoption.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That means cutting taxes, clearing out red tape, and letting California build again.—
Steve Hilton,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
The general rule events use is waiting 30 minutes from the last lightning strike in the area before letting fans back into the stands and players on the field/drivers on the course.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
The groups cited a Vanguard study that found the retirement wealth of nonprofit workers could increase at least $525 million annually if CITs were allowed in 403(b) plans.—
Taylor Millard,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2026
-
The website will provide information about high-quality, low-cost independent retirement accounts and ensure a contribution match for those who open an IRA listed on the site.—
Britta Miller,
The Washington Examiner,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leaving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leaving. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
