Word
farewell
Phoneticsfarewell
US/ˌfɛɹˈwɛɫ/
UK/feəwˈɛl/
Definitions
01the act of saying goodbye
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the act of saying goodbye or a party held for someone who is leaving.
n. an occasion or act of saying goodbye, often marked by a formal ceremony or social gathering.
“The office organized a small farewell for Sarah before she moved to Spain.”
“The retiring professor gave a moving farewell to his colleagues, reflecting on four decades of academic service.”
02final or parting
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. describing something that happens as someone is leaving, like a final speech or concert.
adj. serving as a final or parting act; valedictory in nature.
“The band is playing their farewell concert in London tonight.”
“The diplomat's farewell address focused on the importance of maintaining international cooperation in the coming decade.”
03to say goodbye
C2 · Proficiency Formal · Dialect
v. to say goodbye to someone.
v. to bid farewell to someone; to perform the act of saying goodbye.
“We gathered at the airport to farewell our friends as they moved abroad.”
“The community gathered at the docks to farewell the sailors before their year-long expedition began.”
Synonyms
Usage
Often functions as an attributive noun in phrases like 'farewell party' or 'farewell speech'.
Real-World Examples
“Tens of thousands line the streets as Norway bids farewell to King Harald V” “In a farewell message to City fans, Rodri said: "I am leaving the club with a huge sense of pride about what we have achieved and gratitude too for so many amazing memories.” “With Great Reluctance, India Bids Farewell to Tendulkar” “But South American football writer Tim Vickery said an official farewell in Argentina could be on the cards.” Word family
NOUN
In Literature
Cover: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — Cleo Damianakes.
A Farewell to Arms · 1929-01-01 · War novel
- Author:
- Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway’s 1929 classic follows Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver serving in the Italian Army during World War I. The title reflects the protagonist’s decision to abandon the conflict and say a final goodbye to the military life he once knew. As he falls in love with a nurse named Catherine Barkley, the story explores the difficulty of leaving behind the violence of war for a private life.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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