Definition of departnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb depart contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of depart are deviate, digress, diverge, swerve, and veer. While all these words mean "to turn aside from a straight course," depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.

occasionally departs from his own guidelines

Where would deviate be a reasonable alternative to depart?

The synonyms deviate and depart are sometimes interchangeable, but deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.

never deviated from her daily routine

When could digress be used to replace depart?

While the synonyms digress and depart are close in meaning, digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.

a professor prone to digress

How do diverge and depart relate to one another?

Diverge may equal depart but usually suggests a branching of a main path into two or more leading in different directions.

after school their paths diverged

When is it sensible to use swerve instead of depart?

The meanings of swerve and depart largely overlap; however, swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness.

swerved to avoid hitting the dog

When can veer be used instead of depart?

The words veer and depart are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, veer implies a major change in direction.

at that point the path veers to the right

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 depart Below them, clattering on a dozen parallel tracks, the trains were coming and going, arriving and departing, thundering underground. Literary Hub, 3 June 2026 Golden, who is departing Congress after his term, hails from a competitive district in Maine. Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 3 June 2026 Wan’Dale Robinson departed in free agency to the Tennessee Titans after catching 92 passes for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns last season. Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026 Prospective buyers depart an open house in Rancho Cucamonga, California, US, on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Diana Olick, CNBC, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for depart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depart
Verb
  • Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy exited the game in the fifth inning after a violent collision with Diamondbacks first baseman Ildemaro Vargas.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
  • But despite this, experts say the lack of AI play is not the main reason why global investors are exiting India.
    Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • Australia's only other fatal shark attack this year occurred in January, when a 12-year-old boy died in a hospital days after he was mauled by a bull shark in Sydney Harbor.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 June 2026
  • In January, a 12-year-old also died a week after he was attacked by a shark in Sydney Harbor.
    Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • That stands in contrast to the Nasdaq, which has already moved to fast-track SpaceX's inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index, leading to concerns that new retail investors could become the cash cow of exit liquidity for legacy SpaceX shareholders.
    Katie Foley, CNBC, 5 June 2026
  • In the production, directed by Jo Bonney, Susanna arrives there before realizing what has happened, a scene change that moves briskly enough to surprise you in the audience too.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 5 June 2026
Verb
  • Authorities have publicly identified four people who lost their lives over the last week in San Diego County traffic crashes, with three of the victims perishing in head-on collisions in the eastern reaches of the region.
    City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026
  • Even if media themselves don’t perish, media industries can and often do.
    Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Verb
  • Butlers here are called Aris Meehas, a historical Maldivian reference to someone assigned to serve royalty—thankfully, interactions are more easy-going than overly deferential.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
  • After more than five innings of the Bulldogs trailing Liberty by one, struggling to get anything going, the Georgia third baseman crushed a two-run home run to left field.
    Sarah Spencer, AJC.com, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • For the Fever, who entered the season as championship contenders, the first 10 games have fallen well short of expectations, as scrutiny continues to mount on head coach Stephanie White.
    Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2026
  • Migrant arrivals in the Canary Islands peaked in 2024 at nearly 47,000, but have fallen dramatically, with just over 2,000 people landing there in the first four months of 2026.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • Serna, however, would make one more attempt to get past Hulst.
    Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
  • Just the way his approach is getting better and better every day.
    Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
Verb
  • How to Tackle Lawn Fungus Whether or not your lawn succumbs to a fungal disease is not entirely within your control.
    David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 28 May 2026
  • Yet succumbing to hubris is now more dangerous than ever.
    William Pesek, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Depart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depart. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

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