1
as in to abandon
to cause to remain behind
you can leave your lunch in the refrigerator while we're outside starry-eyed lovers who promise never to leave one another
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to quit
to give up (a job or office)
he left his job in the city and moved out into the country
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4
as in to hand
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
why don't you leave your watch with me while you swim?
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to dump
to end a usually intimate relationship with
is there ever a good way to leave a lover?
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6
as in to let
to give permission to
aw, leave him come
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1
as in vacation
a period during which the usual routine of school or work is suspended
the soldier was on leave for three days before having to report back to base
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2
as in permission
the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something
the editor gave the reporters leave to follow up on their initial investigation of the senator's fund-raising practices
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in departure
the act of leaving a place
the party was clearly dying down, and it was time to take our leave
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leave
Molly Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 30 July 2025
Eventually, the ground will subside, leaving behind a crater about 1,000 feet deep and nearly 2 miles across where Oak Flat and its religious and environmental significance now stand.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 30 July 2025
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 28 July 2025
For the second time in less than a month, a high-profile pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians was placed on non-disciplinary leave in relation to a sports betting probe.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for leave
Verb
Where shopping secondhand reduces the amount of clothing sent to the landfill every year, buying new clothing modeled after 2000s trends leaves real vintage clothes to go to waste.
—Molly Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 30 July 2025
Eventually, the ground will subside, leaving behind a crater about 1,000 feet deep and nearly 2 miles across where Oak Flat and its religious and environmental significance now stand.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 30 July 2025
Noun
Opt for lightweight winter mulches such as pine straw or whole leaves applied after the first hard freeze of the season.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 28 July 2025
For the second time in less than a month, a high-profile pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians was placed on non-disciplinary leave in relation to a sports betting probe.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for leave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leave
Verb
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Elliott likewise pressed Hyundai to abandon its own restructuring effort and increase its dividend, again using financial discipline as a wedge to improve governance and transparency.—
Marc Cooper,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
-
Minority languages were banned in schools, tribal leaders were silenced, and communities were pressured to abandon their heritage and conform to a rigid Persian identity.—
Jila Andalib,
Hartford Courant,
28 July 2025
Verb
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The impressive signature piece is not officially part of the crown jewels, but it was inherited by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, to whom Dame Margaret Greville bequeathed her entire jewelry collection in 1942.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
4 July 2025
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And then, in the next episode, through an inheritance bequeathed to Ada out of the blue, the family’s money troubles are instantly over.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
Money has also been spent on nongovernmental organization programs that hand out clean needles and crack pipes as part of progressive harm reduction policies instead of encouraging homeless drug users to quit.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
14 July 2025
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Although the overall unemployment rate is just 4.1%, few people are quitting jobs today, and employers are skittish about hiring.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
13 July 2025
Verb
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Earlier that month, Dobie students, teachers and families learned the district is considering closing their 51-year-old campus or handing it over to a charter operator in the fall as a preemptive measure to stave off severe state sanctions.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Oswego County locals say the sheriff’s patrol is stopping Latino drivers for minor or unprovable violations, then handing them over to Border Patrol.—
Mina Aguilar,
New York Daily News,
29 July 2025
Verb
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Just weeks after the Thomas Fire tore through the hills above Montecito, an intense winter storm dumped several inches of rain in January 2018.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
24 July 2025
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Company insiders, also including the finance chief, have dumped $16.6 million in shares over the past 30 days.—
Alex Harring,Nick Wells,
CNBC,
21 July 2025
Verb
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New features and technologies elevate the quality of car audio, letting brands famous for everything from the loudspeakers at Woodstock to today’s most immersive theaters take their act on the road.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
27 July 2025
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And instead of the usual frantic panic, Jarmusch lets the apocalypse unfold with bizarre calmness: Murray and Driver patrol in sloth-like formation, Zelda welds coffins for fun and Jarmusch himself even pops up onscreen as Officer Ronnie’s aging hippie father.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
Noun
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Plus, Gwyneth Paltrow wore a pair of Celine sandals on vacation recently.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
People.com,
30 July 2025
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People – mostly men – would come from East Coast cities like New York to ranches on vacation, often dressed in full cowboy attire, according to Bryce Albright, executive director of the National Dude Ranchers Association, an organization that has been around for almost 100 years.—
Kat Lonsdorf,
NPR,
30 July 2025
Noun
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However, students are not allowed to use the devices during class, unless a teacher gives them permission for educational, health or emergency purposes.—
Rachel Wegner,
The Tennessean,
24 July 2025
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Reprinted by permission of Vintage Books, an imprint of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.—
Simon Boas
July 23,
Literary Hub,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leave. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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