1
as in departure
the act of leaving a place
the leave-taking of the guest of honor was scheduled for 11 o'clock
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in farewell
the act or process of two or more persons going off in different directions
the sweethearts' leave-taking was filled with tearful pauses and promises to meet again
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leave-taking
The study of leave-taking was assumed to be more complicated than the study of greetings.
—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
4 Feb. 2026
Forest fires were lowering human birth weights, zoo chimpanzees in Kyoto enjoy virtual forests, and the chimpanzees of the Bossou community are formal in their greetings but unceremonious in their leave-taking.
—
Matthew Gavin Frank,
Harper's Magazine,
21 Feb. 2022
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
4 Feb. 2026
Forest fires were lowering human birth weights, zoo chimpanzees in Kyoto enjoy virtual forests, and the chimpanzees of the Bossou community are formal in their greetings but unceremonious in their leave-taking.
—
Matthew Gavin Frank,
Harper's Magazine,
21 Feb. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leave-taking
Noun
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The moves were meant to reshape the roster to maximize superstar Luka Doncic, who will take the reins with the departure of LeBron James.
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Johnston, Cobbins leaving Johnston’s departure comes just three years after becoming the long-term replacement for former County Administrator Doug Bach, who left the government under an $800,000 separation agreement.
Noun
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When Jason retired from the NFL in 2024, Travis gave his brother an emotional farewell on their New Heights podcast.
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Chilling details emerge about Khamenei's body as Iran prepares to bid farewell to leader.
Cite this Entry
“Leave-taking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leave-taking. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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