farewell

1 of 4

imperative verb

fare·​well fer-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
Synonyms of farewell
: get along well
—used interjectionally to or by one departing

farewell

2 of 4

noun

fare·​well fer-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
1
: a wish of well-being at parting : goodbye
said their farewells and headed home
2
a
: an act of departure : leave-taking
I will take my farewell of this place tomorrow.
b
: a formal occasion honoring a person about to leave or retire
held a great farewell for the retiring senator

farewell

3 of 4

verb

fare·​well fer-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)

transitive

chiefly Australia and New Zealand
: to bid farewell to

farewell

4 of 4

adjective

fare·​well ˈfer-ˌwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
: of or relating to leave-taking : final
a farewell performance

Synonyms of farewell

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Noun

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of farewell in a Sentence

Noun They said their farewells and headed home. the exchange student and her host family said their tearful farewells, promising to keep in touch Verb The retiring teacher was farewelled by the whole school at a special assembly. Adjective The band gave a farewell concert. the singer's farewell tour seemed to last almost as long as her entire career
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Imperative verb
With drooping eyebrows, Hollywell bids farewell and invites me to hang out again tomorrow. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026 From arrival to farewell, our own driver-guides remained at their disposal, giving them the freedom to explore without ever thinking about logistics. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
The actress bid farewell to the series with the show’s finale in May 2026, after more than 10 years playing Claire Fraser on the Starz series. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026 The episode ends with everyone back on the front lawn for a formal farewell. — Adam B. Vary, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
From arrival to farewell, our own driver-guides remained at their disposal, giving them the freedom to explore without ever thinking about logistics. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026 While this loss leaves a silence that words can never fill, farewell messages adorned a growing memorial for both Mikey and Millie, where tributes of light were offered to them. — Andrew Ramos, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Bodega Taqueria y Tequila The homegrown taco spot has closed its Miracle Mile location in Coral Gables after two and a half years, following a farewell party at the end of July. — Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026 There’s still time to register for one of the three-day waves, each comprising a welcome dinner, the drive day, a judging dinner, and farewell brunch—all while the Boca Raton resort serves as our storied base of operations. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for farewell

Word History

First Known Use

Imperative Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1580, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1669, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of farewell was in the 14th century

Rhymes for farewell

See All Rhymes for farewell

Browse Nearby Words

fareway
farewell
Farewell, Cape
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Farewell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/farewell. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

farewell

1 of 3 imperative verb
fare·​well fa(ə)r-ˈwel How to pronounce farewell (audio)
fe(ə)r-
: get along well
—used to or by one departing

farewell

2 of 3 noun
1
: an expression of good wishes at parting : good-bye
2
: an act of departure

farewell

3 of 3 adjective
fare·​well
ˌfa(ə)r-ˌwel, 
ˌfe(ə)r-
: of or relating to a time or act of leaving : final
a farewell concert
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