leave
1 of 3verb (1)
ˈlēv 
left ˈleft ; leaving
; leaving transitive verb
1
a(1)
: bequeath, devise
left a fortune to his son
(2)
: to have remaining after one's death
leaves a widow and two children
b
: to cause to remain as a trace or aftereffect
oil leaves a stain
the wound left an ugly scar
2
a
: to cause or allow to be or remain in a specified condition
leave the door open
his manner left me cold
b
: to fail to include or take along
left the notes at home
the movie leaves a lot out
c
: to have as a remainder
4 from 7 leaves 3
d
: to permit to be or remain subject to another's action or control
just leave everything to me
e
: let
f
: to cause or allow to be or remain available
leave room for expansion
left myself an out
3
a
: to go away from : depart
leave the room
b
: desert, abandon
left his wife
c
: to terminate association with : withdraw from
left school before graduation
4
: to put, deposit, or deliver before or in the process of departing
I left a package for you
leave a message
intransitive verb
: set out, depart
left for the office at eight sharp
leaver noun
Leave vs. Let: Usage Guide
Leave (sense 2e) with the infinitive but without to
leave it be
is a mostly spoken idiom used in writing especially for humorous effect. It is not often criticized in British English, but American commentators, adhering to an opinion first expressed in 1881, still dislike it.
leave
2 of 3noun
1
a
: permission to do something
b
: authorized especially extended absence from duty or employment
2
: an act of leaving : departure
leave
3 of 3verb (2)
leaved; leaving
intransitive verb
: leaf
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- abandon
- desert
- forsake
- maroon
- quit
- strand
Noun
- break
- holiday [chiefly British]
- hols [British]
- recess
- vacation
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun He took an unpaid leave from work. The soldiers were given a two-month leave for the holidays. He took a few months' leave to care for his sick mother. Our professor is on leave this semester. She is on leave from her law firm. a soldier on military leave I beg leave to differ with you, sir. He was found guilty but was granted leave to appeal against the verdict. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Yael Halon, Fox News, 21 Feb. 2023 Your oven is covered in sticky drips and stubborn splatters that refuse to leave town. —The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 19 Feb. 2023 Her fans quickly hit the comments section to leave words of appreciation for her red carpet look. —Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 18 Feb. 2023 Read ahead for the best-clarifying shampoos to leave your hair and scalp squeaky clean. —Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 17 Feb. 2023 And, if a member of a barbecue family decides to leave and open a competing barbecue restaurant, that’s an opportunity for a high-heat situation. —Dallas News, 17 Feb. 2023 Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon have together asked nearly 200,000 IT professionals—at least 30% of them Indians on H-1B and L1 visas—to leave. —Niharika Sharma, Quartz, 17 Feb. 2023 The audience sits for a moment, unsure whether to leave or stay. —Chris Vognar, Chron, 17 Feb. 2023 Activity in this sense isn’t about your workouts so much as your day-to-day activity; getting up from the couch, walking up the stairs, or other basic movements shouldn’t leave you wheezing or feeling exhausted. —Colleen Stinchcombe, SELF, 16 Feb. 2023 Breanne Kovatch, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Feb. 2023 The government will pay for the menstrual leave provision. —Niha Masih, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2023 Service members who are granted administrative absence will not be charged leave. —Sarah Swetlik | Sswetlik@al.com, al, 17 Feb. 2023 The Columbus Police Chief said Anderson was placed on leave while the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation conducts its investigation. —Amanda Watts, CNN, 17 Feb. 2023 Less clear, though, is why Robach and Holmes were put on temporary leave, since, according to the New York Times, Godwin said their relationship didn’t violate company policy. —Ashley Stahl, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023 Heiar and staff were still on leave as of Sunday evening. —Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 14 Feb. 2023 Out of an abundance of caution, the District is launching its own investigation and has removed the staff member from Ganesha High School’s campus, placing them on leave during the process and pending the outcome. —Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2023 Tech jobs offered more generous parental leave than other industries, and women were more likely to use the benefit to its fullest extent. —Kinsey Crowley, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2023 See More
Verb
Residents, however, remain uneasy as noxious odors and reports of mysterious rashes leave them concerned about the area's safety. —Yael Halon, Fox News, 21 Feb. 2023 Your oven is covered in sticky drips and stubborn splatters that refuse to leave town. —The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 19 Feb. 2023 Her fans quickly hit the comments section to leave words of appreciation for her red carpet look. —Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 18 Feb. 2023 Read ahead for the best-clarifying shampoos to leave your hair and scalp squeaky clean. —Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 17 Feb. 2023 And, if a member of a barbecue family decides to leave and open a competing barbecue restaurant, that’s an opportunity for a high-heat situation. —Dallas News, 17 Feb. 2023 Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon have together asked nearly 200,000 IT professionals—at least 30% of them Indians on H-1B and L1 visas—to leave. —Niharika Sharma, Quartz, 17 Feb. 2023 The audience sits for a moment, unsure whether to leave or stay. —Chris Vognar, Chron, 17 Feb. 2023 Activity in this sense isn’t about your workouts so much as your day-to-day activity; getting up from the couch, walking up the stairs, or other basic movements shouldn’t leave you wheezing or feeling exhausted. —Colleen Stinchcombe, SELF, 16 Feb. 2023 Noun
Several cheerleading coaches were placed on leave this month pending an investigation into the allegations, the Globe reported. —Breanne Kovatch, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Feb. 2023 The government will pay for the menstrual leave provision. —Niha Masih, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2023 Service members who are granted administrative absence will not be charged leave. —Sarah Swetlik | Sswetlik@al.com, al, 17 Feb. 2023 The Columbus Police Chief said Anderson was placed on leave while the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation conducts its investigation. —Amanda Watts, CNN, 17 Feb. 2023 Less clear, though, is why Robach and Holmes were put on temporary leave, since, according to the New York Times, Godwin said their relationship didn’t violate company policy. —Ashley Stahl, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023 Heiar and staff were still on leave as of Sunday evening. —Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 14 Feb. 2023 Out of an abundance of caution, the District is launching its own investigation and has removed the staff member from Ganesha High School’s campus, placing them on leave during the process and pending the outcome. —Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2023 Tech jobs offered more generous parental leave than other industries, and women were more likely to use the benefit to its fullest extent. —Kinsey Crowley, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2023 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
Middle English leven, from Old English lǣfan; akin to Old High German verleiben to leave, Old English belīfan to be left over, and perhaps to Lithuanian lipti to adhere, Greek lipos grease, fat
Noun
Middle English leve, from Old English lēaf; akin to Middle High German loube permission, Old English alȳfan to allow — more at believe
Verb (2)
Middle English leven, from leef leaf
First Known Use
Verb (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing leave
Kids Definition
leave
1 of 3 verb ˈlēv
left ˈleft ; leaving
; leaving 1
a
: to give by will : bequeath
left a fortune to his daughter
b
: to have remaining after one's death
leaves a widow and two children
c
: to cause to remain as a trace or aftereffect
oil leaves a stain
also : to cause to remain behind
leave your money at home
2
a
: to cause or allow to be or remain in a specified condition
leave the door open
b
: to fail to include or take along
left my notes at home
the movie leaves a lot out
c
: to have as a remainder
taking 4 from 7 leaves 3
d
: to permit to be or remain subject to another's action or control
just leave everything to me
e
: let entry 2 sense 3
f
: to cause or allow to be or remain available
leave room for more
3
a
: to go away from : depart
leave the room
b
: desert sense 2
left his wife
c
: to terminate association with : withdraw from
left school before graduation
4
: to put, deposit, or deliver especially before or in the process of departing
left a package on your doorstep
leave
2 of 3 noun1
a
: permission sense 2
b
: authorized absence from duty or employment
2
: an act of leaving
leave
3 of 3 verb leaved; leaving
: leaf entry 2 sense 1
Legal Definition
leave
transitive verb left; leaving
: bequeath, devise
leaving 1 of 3
adjective
as in departing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- departing
- closing
- concluding
- parting
- final
- farewell
- last
- ultimate
- valedictory
leaving
2 of 3noun
as in exiting
Synonyms & Similar Words
- exiting
- departing
- leave
- quitting
- retirement
- departure
- abdication
- exit
- stepping down
- resignation
- surrender
- relinquishment
- renouncement
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- acceptance
- adoption
- embrace
- embracement
- espousal
leaving
3 of 3verb
1
as in abandoning
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
- abandoning
- deserting
- stranding
- dumping
- quitting
- forsaking
- ignoring
- escaping
- forgetting
- vacating
- discarding
- marooning
- ditching
- relinquishing
- flinging
- walking away from
- jettisoning
- shedding
- scrapping
- rejecting
- sacrificing
- surrendering
- walking out on
- throwing away
- delivering
- renouncing
- junking
- yielding
- disowning
- neglecting
- throwing out
- disregarding
- cutting off
- repudiating
- abjuring
- distancing
- handing over
- giving up
- shucking (off)
- retreating (from)
- taking off (from)
- withdrawing (from)
- separating (from)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- keeping
- having
- holding
- retaining
- reserving
- owning
- possessing
- reclaiming
- saving
- withholding
- harboring
- rescuing
- redeeming
2
as in bequeathing
to give by means of a will I'm going to leave all of my possessions to my children Synonyms & Similar Words
- bequeathing
- deeding
- willing
- devising
- handing on
- passing (down)
- handing down
3
as in quitting
to give up (a job or office) he left his job in the city and moved out into the country Synonyms & Similar Words
- abandoning
- quitting
- vacating
- chucking
- bagging
- giving notice
- resigning (from)
- stepping down (from)
- retiring (from)
- stepping aside (from)
- throwing up
- dropping out (of)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- staying (at)
- hiring (out or on)
4
as in handing
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another why don't you leave your watch with me while you swim? Synonyms & Similar Words
- handing
- transferring
- giving
- delivering
- passing
- relinquishing
- delegating
- entrusting
- transmitting
- recommending
- consigning
- committing
- trusting
- granting
- commending
- confiding
- loaning
- reposing
- bequeathing
- lending
- submitting
- assigning
- dividing
- giving over
- turning over
- distributing
- handing over
- dispersing
- vesting
- conferring
- intrusting
- dispensing
- supplying
- surrendering
- yielding
- releasing
- furnishing
- willing
- advancing
- turning in
- handing down
- handing in
- retransferring
- retransmitting
- redelivering
- recommitting
- handing on
- dealing (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- keeping
- holding
- retaining
- reserving
- receiving
- owning
- taking
- possessing
- withholding
- occupying
- accepting
- detaining
- holding back
- taking in
- taking over
5
as in dumping
to end a usually intimate relationship with is there ever a good way to leave a lover? Synonyms & Similar Words
- dumping
- ditching
- abandoning
- jilting
- blowing off
- deserting
- kissing off
- cutting
- forsaking
- snubbing
- breaking off (with)
- kissing good-bye
- slighting
- marooning
- quitting
- cold-shouldering
- high-hatting
- brushing (aside or off)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- taking
- hooking up (with)
- befriending
- latching (on or onto)
6
as in letting
to give permission to aw, leave him come Synonyms & Similar Words
- letting
- allowing
- permitting
- approving
- authorizing
- endorsing
- empowering
- licensing
- sanctioning
- liberating
- freeing
- commissioning
- humoring
- releasing
- indulging
- indorsing
- licencing
- catering (to)
- giving in (to)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- prohibiting
- forbidding
- preventing
- enjoining
- discouraging
- blocking
- inhibiting
- obstructing
- barring
- deterring
- curbing
- impeding
- constraining
- holding back
- frustrating