Definition of leavenext
1
2
as in to bequeath
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 to quit
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

4
5
6

leave

2 of 2

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3

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 leave
Verb
If the jurors still cannot do so, the judge will declare a mistrial, ending the trial without a resolution and leaving open the possibility of another trial. Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026 Her next book, The Country Life (1997), follows a Londoner who leaves behind city life to work as an au pair for a family in a tiny village in Sussex. René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
When the leaves begin to change color depends on the location. Greta Cross, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 But with outdoor living comes the usual tide of dirt, dust, pollen, leaves, and moisture. Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for leave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leave
Verb
  • First, Verbruggen baits Joao Pedro, who abandons Olivier Boscagli.
    Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Abandoning guidance in the middle of a crisis gets a pass that abandoning it on a clear day might not.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • More than a century after a rare painting, recently attributed to Gian Lorenzo Bernini, was bequeathed to the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien in 1920, the painting, Portrait of an Old Man, will go on display on December 2, per reports.
    News Desk, Artforum, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Youthful ambition bequeathed them unpredictably shifting time signatures, a daunting nylon-string intro, some odd musical shifts during the guitar-solo section, and a long list of other complexities.
    Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Craig, now a devoted granddad with a dry sense of humor, began working alongside his father at thirteen, quitting school even though teachers warned him that house moving was a dying trade.
    Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Hep Spyder blamed Dwight for Buffo Carducci’s quitting on him back when Dwight was Hep’s tent boss.
    Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Wall Street has handed long-term investors a rare mispricing of Insulet shares.
    Harvey Stober, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Prosecutors and police claimed that Davis orchestrated Shakur’s murder in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, and handed the gunman the murder weapon.
    Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • During that interview with Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling, teammates attempted to join the celebration, with Guerrero and Straw attempting to dump water over Lukes as part of the team’s tradition.
    Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • These men never anticipated being dumped in a New Jersey ditch so far from home.
    Jennifer Janofsky, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Verify the numbers, name the next step, and let clear facts make the agreement feel safer for everyone involved.
    Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Geneva let the clock run down to five seconds to call a timeout before Oswego (2-0) punted.
    Jerry Birchfield, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • After Joplin police reached out to the FBI, the campaign manager told federal authorities that Ross wanted the drugs planted in Secker’s car or purse while Ross was on vacation in South Carolina, the affidavit alleges.
    Ava Kelley, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Linen, washed cotton, lightweight knits, and silk all have a natural ease to them that works beautifully on vacation.
    Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Last month, San Francisco lawmakers unanimously declared the Latin Rock House a historic landmark, formally protecting the Spanish-style home from being painted over, altered or destroyed by future owners or developers without the city's permission.
    Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Over the years, many singers, including Elvis Presley, asked for permission to record the song.
    Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Leave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leave. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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