English Reference
adjective · noun · verb

departing

adj. · n. · v.
US /dɪˈpɑɹtɪŋ/ UK /dɪpˈɑːtɪŋ/ de·part·ing

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.describing someone who is leaving a position or a place right now.

    adj.describing an individual or entity currently in the process of leaving a location, role, or organization.

    Simple

    The departing manager gave a short speech to the team on her last day.

    In context

    The departing passengers were asked to have their boarding passes ready for the final security check before entering the tunnel.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Formal

    n.the act of going away from a place.

    n.the action or instance of leaving or setting out; a gerundial use denoting the process of departure.

    Simple

    Their sudden departing in the middle of the night surprised everyone.

    In context

    The swift departing of the fleet under the cover of darkness was a strategic move to avoid detection by enemy scouts.

  3. 03 B1 Intermediate

    v.the '-ing' form of the verb 'depart', used to show an action happening now.

    v.the present participle of 'depart', used in progressive tenses or as a participial adjective to indicate ongoing movement away from a point.

    Simple

    The train is departing from platform four in five minutes.

    In context

    By departing earlier than scheduled, the expedition managed to bypass the heavy snowstorms that typically block the mountain pass in late autumn.

He said: “We can actually feel planes departing before we can hear them.

The Guardian· 23 Aug 2026

Experienced pilot David, 73, of Kawartha Lakes, has gone missing after departing from the Oshawa Airport in a blue and yellow single home-built aircraft at 8:30 a.m.

Toronto Sun· 15 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated