farewell

1 of 4

imperative verb

fare·​well fer-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
: get along well
used interjectionally to or by one departing

farewell

2 of 4

noun

fare·​well fer-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
1
: a wish of well-being at parting : goodbye
said their farewells and headed home
2
a
: an act of departure : leave-taking
I will take my farewell of this place tomorrow.
b
: a formal occasion honoring a person about to leave or retire
held a great farewell for the retiring senator

farewell

3 of 4

verb

fare·​well fer-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)

transitive verb

chiefly Australia and New Zealand
: to bid farewell to

farewell

4 of 4

adjective

fare·​well ˈfer-ˌwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
: of or relating to leave-taking : final
a farewell performance

Examples of farewell in a Sentence

Noun They said their farewells and headed home. the exchange student and her host family said their tearful farewells, promising to keep in touch Verb The retiring teacher was farewelled by the whole school at a special assembly. Adjective The band gave a farewell concert. the singer's farewell tour seemed to last almost as long as her entire career
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Imperative verb
As the Fort Worth Independent School District bids farewell to 18 of its campuses over the next four years, educators and residents are reflecting on how the parting schools have left their mark on the community. Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 June 2025 Ticket window: Just a reminder that tickets for a stop on The Who farewell tour at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Aug. 16 will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, May 16, at SeatGeek.com. Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2025
Noun
Wu-Tang Clan's farewell tour hit Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday night with a full battalion of surviving members for an inspired evening of hip-hop nostalgia. Leah Olajide, Freep.com, 9 July 2025 In 2023, the band announced a farewell tour that brought them to the X for two nights that November. Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 6 July 2025
Verb
His last trip to the country was in May, a four-night stay and farewell to Las Vegas. Bailey Schulz, USA Today, 10 July 2025 As the Fort Worth Independent School District bids farewell to 18 of its campuses over the next four years, educators and residents are reflecting on how the parting schools have left their mark on the community. Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 June 2025
Adjective
The Who's farewell tour is stopping at the following cities: Sunrise, Florida. Newark, New Jersey. Atlantic City, New Jersey. Boston. Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 The morning after the wedding was a farewell breakfast. Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for farewell

Word History

First Known Use

Imperative Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1580, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1669, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of farewell was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Farewell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/farewell. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

farewell

1 of 3 imperative verb
fare·​well fa(ə)r-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
fe(ə)r-
: get along well
used to or by one departing

farewell

2 of 3 noun
1
: an expression of good wishes at parting : good-bye
2
: an act of departure

farewell

3 of 3 adjective
fare·​well
ˌfa(ə)r-ˌwel,
ˌfe(ə)r-
: of or relating to a time or act of leaving : final
a farewell concert

More from Merriam-Webster on farewell

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