leaves 1 of 2

Definition of leavesnext
present tense third-person singular of leave
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2
as in bequeaths
to give by means of a will I'm going to leave all of my possessions to my children

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in quits
to give up (a job or office) he left his job in the city and moved out into the country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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leaves

2 of 2

noun

plural of leave
1
as in vacations
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of leaves
Verb
In the last few seconds, the black holes whirl around each other at near the speed of light, emitting ever more powerful gravitational waves until the two actually merge, combining in one gluttonous gulp that leaves behind a single, more massive black hole. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026 Modern systems, including those from ADT, offer smart features that detect when your mobile device leaves a preset boundary (geofence) around your home. Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026 Like his perceptive doc about Joy Division, Everybody Digs Bill Evans is about the ordinary that feeds the extraordinary and leaves us to figure out the rest for ourselves. Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026 The stories collected in In the Shadow of the Holocaust insist that destruction leaves residues that often cannot be transformed into lessons or triumphs. Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026 But when a departing passenger leaves a door open, the car won’t move until a person closes it. Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026 That leaves former Deputy Attorney General Adam Braun and Illinois Commerce Commission policy adviser James O’Brien, and both are solid candidates. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026 Instead, Brontë’s book leaves itself radically open to interpretation. Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026 Which leaves the middle of the week for the 49ers and Rams. Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
These deer are smaller than those typical in North America, according to one member of the staff because the deer never had to evolve to become taller to reach higher branches on trees when there was such an abundance of leaves to eat in the Yucatán jungle. John Newton, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026 Sun scorch, on the other hand, typically causes plant leaves to wilt, discolor, or turn crispy. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2026 Lo mai gai, the sticky, meaty rice bundles wrapped in lotus leaves, are fragrant and balanced, particularly a version laced with abalone that brings some welcome marine funk to the mix. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026 Located on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, this verdant park is open year-round, but is at its colorful peak come October, when fall transforms the leaves to bright hues of red, orange, and yellow. Giovanna Caravetta, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2026 Plants can spread, drop leaves, expand to gigantic sizes, or look loud and unappealing. Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 4 Feb. 2026 Keep green tea leaves in an airtight container in a cool, dark, and dry place for the best freshness. Merve Ceylan, Health, 3 Feb. 2026 The median length of these leaves has nearly quadrupled. Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leaves
Verb
  • O’Hara found her highest-profile role in Home Alone (1990), as a harried suburban mom who accidentally abandons her 8-year-old son.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The second abandons the intellectual framework that apparently motivated Warsh’s interest in the position.
    Daniel J. Arbess, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The singer refused to flat-out say the Eagles are calling it quits.
    Thor Christensen, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
  • But the daughter of late feminist and civil rights activist Roxcy Bolton isn’t ready to call it quits just yet.
    Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The artist then walks over and hands Lincoln what appears to be a Grammy.
    CBS News, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Linden grabs a bottle of water from our minifridge and hands it to me.
    Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Colleyville Heritage dumps Argyle in 2 OTs Colleyville Heritage got a hugh lay in by Sameer Johnson at the fourth quarter buzzer, off an assist by Dmauri Evans, to tie the game at 48 allowing the Panthers to subdue Argyle 57-51 in double overtime on Thursday.
    Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2026
  • His girlfriend dumps him and leaves him with an empty apartment that could use some repairs.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Pruning also lets in more light and improves air circulation.
    Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Lyft is introducing a feature that lets teenagers to use the rideshare app and addresses obstacles keeping Gen Alpha from getting out into the real world.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Skip-gen vacations Skip-gen travel is an emerging trend where grandparents and grandkids vacation together while skipping the generation in between.
    Kathy Boardman, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026
  • The emails show an account called HKH Kronprinsessen communicating with Epstein to plan vacations and a visit to Palm Beach, and to discuss health concerns.
    Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Remove permissions that are not essential.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Put medical and caregiving permissions in writing where your emergency contact can find them.
    Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • For now, the agency still represents other A-list talent including Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay and Tyler, the Creator, though many in the industry suspect a wave of departures is coming.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Judges have the final say, but departures from jury recommendations are uncommon.
    Monroe Trombly, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Leaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leaves. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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