# leave behind

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/leave-behind
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To abandon.

## Examples

- Do not leave behind your bag on the bus.
- The hikers had to leave behind their heavy gear because the storm was getting worse.
- In his haste to escape the crumbling city, he was forced to leave behind everything he had spent a lifetime building.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.