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Arrive vs. Depart: Know the Difference

Shumaila Saeed
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Arrive means to reach a destination, while depart means to leave a place.
Arrive vs. Depart

Key Differences

Arriving denotes coming to a certain place, indicating the end of a journey, whereas departing signifies leaving a place, indicating the beginning of a journey. Arrival brings a sense of completion, while departure is associated with the onset of a new phase or journey.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
To arrive is to reach a destination, often marking the conclusion of travel, while to depart is to leave a place, initiating the act of traveling. Arrival is associated with reaching a goal, whereas departure is linked with setting out for a goal.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Arrival usually indicates coming into a new place or situation, often bringing new experiences or opportunities, whereas departure involves leaving or exiting from a current location or situation. Arrival suggests entry, while departure suggests exit.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Arriving is often seen as a point of stability or rest, marking the end of movement, but departing implies motion or transition, marking the start of a journey or movement away from stability. Arrival concludes an action, departure initiates it.
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Comparison Chart

Direction

Towards a destination
Away from a point of origin
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Time Frame

End of a journey
Start of a journey
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Connotation

Achievement, reaching
Leaving, beginning
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Event Relation

Joining, entering
Exiting, leaving
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Communication

Announcing arrival
Announcing departure
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Arrive and Depart Definitions

Arrive

Coming into Existence
The new fashion trend arrived on the scene suddenly.
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Dec 06, 2023
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Depart

Leaving a Place
She departed from New York last night.
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Dec 06, 2023

Arrive

Occurring
The moment we've been waiting for has arrived.
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Dec 06, 2023

Depart

Starting a Journey
The train departs at 6:00 PM.
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Dec 06, 2023

Arrive

Reaching a Destination
They arrived at the airport just in time for their flight.
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Dec 06, 2023

Depart

Diverging from a Path
The new policy departs from traditional methods.
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Arrive

To reach a destination.
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

Passing Away
The great artist departed this world in peace.
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Dec 06, 2023

Arrive

To come at length; take place
The day of reckoning has arrived.
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To go away; leave
I depart for the islands at noon.
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Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To achieve success or recognition
He had finally arrived as a designer.
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To die.
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Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To reach; to get to a certain place.
We arrived at the hotel and booked in.
He arrived home for two days.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To vary, as from a regular course; deviate
Depart from custom.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

(intransitive) To obtain a level of success or fame; to succeed.
He had finally arrived on Broadway.
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To go away from; leave
"I departed the oppressive building quickly ... without a backward glance" (Joyce Carol Oates).
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To come; said of time.
The time has arrived for us to depart.
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

(intransitive) To leave.
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Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To happen or occur.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

(intransitive) To set out on a journey.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To reach; to come to.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To die.
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Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To bring to shore.
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To disappear, vanish; to cease to exist.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To come to the shore or bank. In present usage: To come in progress by water, or by traveling on land; to reach by water or by land; - followed by at (formerly sometimes by to), also by in and from.
[Æneas] sailing with a fleet from Sicily, arrived . . . and landed in the country of Laurentum.
There was no outbreak till the regiment arrived at Ipswich.
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

(intransitive) To deviate (from), be different (from), fail to conform.
His latest statements seemed to depart from party policy somewhat.
To depart from a title or defence in legal pleading
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Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To reach a point by progressive motion; to gain or compass an object by effort, practice, study, inquiry, reasoning, or experiment.
When he arrived at manhood.
We arrive at knowledge of a law of nature by the generalization of facts.
If at great things thou wouldst arrive.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

(transitive) To go away from; to leave.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To come; said of time; as, the time arrived.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To divide up; to distribute, share.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To happen or occur.
Happy! to whom this glorious death arrives.
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To separate, part.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To bring to shore.
And made the sea-trod ship arrive them.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

(obsolete) Division; separation, as of compound substances.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

To reach; to come to.
Ere he arrive the happy isle.
Ere we could arrive the point proposed.
Arrive at last the blessed goal.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

(obsolete) A going away; departure.
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Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

Arrival.
How should I joy of thy arrive to hear!
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To part; to divide; to separate.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

Reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress;
She arrived home at 7 o'clock
She didn't get to Chicago until after midnight
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To go forth or away; to quit, leave, or separate, as from a place or a person; to withdraw; - opposed to arrive; - often with from before the place, person, or thing left, and for or to before the destination.
I will depart to mine own land.
Ere thou from hence depart.
He which hath no stomach to this fight,Let him depart.
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Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

Succeed in a big way; get to the top;
After he published his book, he had arrived
I don't know whether I can make it in science!
You will go far, my boy!
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To forsake; to abandon; to desist or deviate (from); not to adhere to; - with from; as, we can not depart from our rules; to depart from a title or defense in legal pleading.
If the plan of the convention be found to depart from republican principles.
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Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

Attaining a Condition
He arrived at a conclusion after hours of deliberation.
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Dec 06, 2023

Depart

To pass away; to perish.
The glory is departed from Israel.
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Dec 05, 2023

Arrive

Achieving Success
She finally arrived in her career after years of hard work.
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Dec 06, 2023

Depart

To quit this world; to die.
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace.
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To part thoroughly; to dispart; to divide; to separate.
Till death departed them, this life they lead.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To divide in order to share; to apportion.
And here is gold, and that full great plentee,That shall departed been among us three.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

To leave; to depart from.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

Division; separation, as of compound substances into their ingredients.
The chymists have a liquor called water of depart.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

A going away; departure; hence, death.
At my depart for France.
Your loss and his depart.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

Move away from a place into another direction;
Go away before I start to cry
The train departs at noon
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

Be at variance with; be out of line with
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

Leave;
The family took off for Florida
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

Go away or leave
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

Remove oneself from an association with or participation in;
She wants to leave
The teenager left home
She left her position with the Red Cross
He left the Senate after two terms
After 20 years with the same company, she pulled up stakes
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023

Depart

Wander from a direct or straight course
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Dec 05, 2023

Depart

Exiting a Stage
The actor departed the stage to applause.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023

Repeatedly Asked Queries

Does 'arrive' imply the end of something?

It often implies the end of a journey.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Can 'arrive' be figurative?

Yes, like arriving at a decision.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Can 'arrive' denote success?

Yes, it can indicate achieving a goal or success.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

What does 'depart' fundamentally mean?

Depart means to leave a place or start a journey.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Is 'depart' used in sad contexts?

It can be, especially in farewells or endings.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Can 'depart' mean dying?

Yes, it's a euphemism for death.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

What is the basic meaning of 'arrive'?

Arrive means to reach a destination or point in time.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Is 'arrive' formal or informal?

It's neutral, used in both contexts.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Does 'depart' have a literal meaning only?

No, it can also be used metaphorically.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Is 'arrive' used for events?

Yes, it's used when joining or entering events.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Can 'depart' indicate a change?

Yes, like departing from a tradition.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Does 'arrive' always mean physically reaching?

Not always, it can be metaphorical.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

What is the antonym of 'arrive'?

'Depart' is often its antonym.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Is 'depart' always about physical movement?

No, it can be metaphorical or abstract.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

What's a synonym for 'depart'?

'Leave' is a common synonym.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

How is 'arrive' used in schedules?

It indicates the expected time of reaching.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Can 'arrive' be used in business?

Yes, like arriving at a deal.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

In what contexts is 'depart' used?

Travel, life changes, and sometimes death.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

Can 'depart' be used informally?

Yes, it's versatile in usage.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

How is 'depart' used in travel?

It indicates the time of leaving.
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Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023

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About Author
Shumaila Saeed
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Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.

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