# bye

/ˈbaɪ/ (US) · /bˈaɪ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bye
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Senses

### 1. saying goodbye

interjection · CEFR A1 · Informal

a short, friendly way to say goodbye when you leave someone.

For teachers: a conventional formulaic closing used upon parting. Informal in register.

- I have to go now, so bye for now and see you tomorrow.
- She shouted a quick bye over her shoulder as she hurried to catch the departing train.

### 2. sports tournament

noun · CEFR B2

when a team or player moves to the next part of a competition without having to play a game.

For teachers: the status of a competitor who is excused from playing in a particular round of a tournament and advances automatically.

- Because they were the top team, they got a bye in the first round.
- The defending champion received a bye into the second round, allowing him an extra day of recovery before his first match.

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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.