departure

noun

de·​par·​ture di-ˈpär-chər How to pronounce departure (audio)
1
a(1)
: the act or an instance of departing
(2)
archaic : death
b
: a setting out (as on a new course)
2
: divergence sense 2
a departure from tradition

Examples of departure in a Sentence

What is your time of departure? You should plan to arrive at the airport an hour before departure. a schedule of arrivals and departures The departures of several key employees have caused problems for the company. her sudden departure from the company The team has struggled since the departure of its head coach. His previous movies have all been comedies, so this dramatic role is a real departure for him.
Recent Examples on the Web Ancient cultures viewed the dusk-like darkness prompted by the passing of the moon between the Earth and sun, temporarily blocking the sun’s light, as a sign of the gods’ anger or even their impending departure. Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024 Gallagher’s departure leaves open his safely Republican northeastern Wisconsin seat. Journal Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2024 In a 53-second video post on X, Rittenhouse joked about how the media was portraying his abrupt departure from the stage. The Courier-Journal, 22 Mar. 2024 Rahm had surged clear of Scheffler to win by five strokes ahead of Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson – both of whom are now the Spaniard’s fellow competitors in LIV Golf following his departure from the PGA Tour in December. Jack Bantock, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 The evacuation of their son was part of a growing number of hasty and ad hoc departures from Haiti, which has been convulsed by a surge of gang violence that has turned parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, into a war zone and has shut down the main airport. David C. Adams, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Cody Jinks knows the songs and topics on his album, Change the Game, out tomorrow (March 22), could be perceived as a bit of a departure from the hard-charging brand of country-rock his fans have come to expect. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 21 Mar. 2024 The sale runs through March 28, and applies to select departures through the end of the year, so now’s the time to double-check your passport expiration date and get to packing! Kyler Alvord, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2024 His departure from the House before the end of his term will shake up the chamber’s partisan breakdown, where Republicans have only a very narrow majority. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'departure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of departure was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near departure

Cite this Entry

“Departure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/departure. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

departure

noun
de·​par·​ture di-ˈpär-chər How to pronounce departure (audio)
1
: the act of going away
2
: a setting out (as on a new course)
3
: a change from a usual course or standard
a departure from tradition

Legal Definition

departure

noun
de·​par·​ture
: a failure to follow : a deviation from a course or standard
an upward departure from the sentencing guidelines

More from Merriam-Webster on departure

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