departure
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the act of leaving a place, especially to start a journey.
the act of leaving a location, typically at the commencement of a journey.
Simple“The plane's departure was delayed by two hours because of the heavy snow.”
In context“The sudden departure of the CEO sparked intense speculation among shareholders regarding the company's future stability.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a way of doing something that is different from what is usual or expected.
a divergence or deviation from a previously established plan, tradition, or standard procedure.
Simple“His new book is a big departure from the detective stories he usually writes.”
In context“The architect's use of sustainable timber represented a radical departure from the concrete-heavy designs typical of the mid-century era.”
Antonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
in law, when someone changes their story or argument from what they said before.
the abandonment of a ground of complaint or defence in a legal pleading and the adoption of a new one.
Simple“The lawyer was accused of a departure because his new argument contradicted his first one.”
In context“The court found that the plaintiff's amended claim constituted a departure from the original pleadings, causing significant prejudice to the defence.”
UsageUsually refers to a procedural error in written legal arguments.
Synonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
a polite or formal way to talk about someone dying.
a euphemistic reference to a person's death.
Simple“The whole town mourned the departure of the old doctor.”
In context“The poet reflected on the quiet departure of his mentor, framing the loss as a final journey into the unknown.”
Teacher's tipThis is a very soft, formal way to speak; in modern conversation, 'passing' is more common.
Usage significant departure
From Old French deporteure (“departure; figuratively, death”). By surface analysis, depart + -ure.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.