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
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.
The first flight took off from the airport late Friday local time, however, and the airport’s departure board indicates that the majority of flights are due to run as scheduled on Saturday. Katrina Bishop, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2025 Add in the departure of running back Damien Martinez and his 204 receiving yards from the 2024 season as well, and the Hurricanes’ top returning receiver from last season is tight end Elija Lofton, who had just nine catches for 150 yards. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2025 Cirium’s data shows that New York-JFK has the most flights to Heathrow on Friday of any global airport, with 21 departures representing 5,387 seats scheduled to fly on that route alone. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025 Some flights that were already en route to London were forced to return to their departure airport when the Heathrow news hit. Francesca Street, CNN, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for departure

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

Cite this Entry

“Departure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/departure. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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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