Leaving doesn’t always mean just walking out the door. Sometimes, it’s about closing chapters, moving on, or even taking a break from something. In the English language, we have a wealth of idioms to express the idea of leaving in various situations. These phrases add color to our conversations and offer different ways to communicate how we’re stepping away from something. Whether it’s quitting a job, ending a relationship, or simply saying goodbye, there’s an idiom for almost every kind of leaving!
This collection of idioms will help you better understand how to express leaving and departure in a more creative, engaging way. You’ll learn what they mean, how to use them, and some alternative phrases to keep your speech varied and interesting. So, let’s explore some fun and useful idioms for leaving and when to use them in everyday situations!
Idioms for Leaving
1. Throw in the towel
Meaning: To give up or admit defeat.
In a Sentence: After hours of trying to fix the car, I had to throw in the towel and call for help.
Other Ways to Say: Quit, Surrender
2. Hit the road
Meaning: To leave or start a journey.
In a Sentence: We had to hit the road early to avoid the traffic.
Other Ways to Say: Take off, Set out
3. Call it a day
Meaning: To stop working or end something for the day.
In a Sentence: After working all afternoon, I decided to call it a day.
Other Ways to Say: Finish up, Wrap up
4. Pack up and go
Meaning: To leave a place, especially after preparing to do so.
In a Sentence: We packed up and went home after the event ended.
Other Ways to Say: Leave, Depart
5. Jump ship
Meaning: To leave a job or situation, especially one that is becoming difficult.
In a Sentence: She decided to jump ship and take a new job offer.
Other Ways to Say: Quit, Leave
6. Take the plunge
Meaning: To make a bold decision to leave or do something.
In a Sentence: After months of hesitation, he finally took the plunge and quit his job.
Other Ways to Say: Make the decision, Dive in
7. Close the door on
Meaning: To end something or make it impossible to return to.
In a Sentence: After the argument, he decided to close the door on their friendship for good.
Other Ways to Say: End, Shut down
8. Cut ties
Meaning: To end a relationship or connection.
In a Sentence: After years of working together, she decided to cut ties with the company.
Other Ways to Say: Break up, Sever relationships
9. Give someone the boot
Meaning: To fire someone or make them leave.
In a Sentence: They gave him the boot after the latest project failed.
Other Ways to Say: Fire, Dismiss
10. Walk away from
Meaning: To leave a situation, especially when it’s tough or no longer beneficial.
In a Sentence: Sometimes, you just have to walk away from toxic situations.
Other Ways to Say: Leave, Step away from
11. Exit stage left
Meaning: To leave quietly or without drawing attention.
In a Sentence: She quietly exited stage left when the conversation got awkward.
Other Ways to Say: Sneak out, Slip away
12. Hit the bricks
Meaning: To leave or go away, often used when someone is dismissed or forced to leave.
In a Sentence: After the meeting, he was told to hit the bricks and leave the office.
Other Ways to Say: Get out, Leave
13. Bounce
Meaning: To leave abruptly.
In a Sentence: The party was getting dull, so we decided to bounce.
Other Ways to Say: Leave, Split
14. Catch the last train
Meaning: To leave just in time, often when something is ending.
In a Sentence: She caught the last train home after the concert.
Other Ways to Say: Make a timely exit, Leave at the last moment
15. Take off
Meaning: To leave quickly.
In a Sentence: As soon as the meeting ended, he took off for the airport.
Other Ways to Say: Leave, Depart quickly
16. Make an exit
Meaning: To leave a place, often in a planned or deliberate manner.
In a Sentence: After an hour of talking, it was time to make an exit.
Other Ways to Say: Leave, Slip out
17. Cut and run
Meaning: To leave a situation quickly and without looking back.
In a Sentence: Realizing things weren’t working out, he decided to cut and run.
Other Ways to Say: Escape, Bail out
18. Check out
Meaning: To leave a place, or end a situation.
In a Sentence: I had to check out of the hotel early to catch my flight.
Other Ways to Say: Leave, Depart
19. Break camp
Meaning: To pack up and leave a place, especially after staying for a while.
In a Sentence: It’s getting late; we should break camp and head home.
Other Ways to Say: Pack up, Leave
20. Say goodbye
Meaning: To leave or bid farewell.
In a Sentence: He had to say goodbye to his friends before moving to another city.
Other Ways to Say: Bid farewell, Take your leave
21. Ride off into the sunset
Meaning: To leave in a peaceful or satisfying way, often with a sense of resolution.
In a Sentence: After finishing the project, she rode off into the sunset, knowing she had done her best.
Other Ways to Say: Depart contentedly, End on a high note
22. Give the cold shoulder
Meaning: To deliberately ignore or refuse to acknowledge someone, often as a form of leaving them out.
In a Sentence: She gave me the cold shoulder after I accidentally spilled the beans.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Snub
23. Take a hike
Meaning: To leave, often said in a slightly rude or dismissive way.
In a Sentence: He told the annoying guy to take a hike and walked away.
Other Ways to Say: Go away, Get lost
24. Pack your bags
Meaning: To prepare to leave or go somewhere.
In a Sentence: It’s time to pack your bags; we’re heading out for vacation tomorrow!
Other Ways to Say: Get ready, Prepare to leave
25. Exit stage right
Meaning: To leave a situation, usually in a smooth and unobtrusive way.
In a Sentence: The teacher exited stage right after class, leaving us to finish the assignment.
Other Ways to Say: Make a quiet exit, Slip away
26. Hit the exit
Meaning: To leave, often in a quick or definitive manner.
In a Sentence: I decided to hit the exit after the meeting dragged on too long.
Other Ways to Say: Leave quickly, Head out
27. Walk out
Meaning: To leave a place or situation, especially in protest or frustration.
In a Sentence: She walked out of the meeting after hearing the unfair decision.
Other Ways to Say: Leave angrily, Exit in protest
28. Go out with a bang
Meaning: To leave in a dramatic or memorable way, often after a significant event or achievement.
In a Sentence: He went out with a bang, hosting an amazing farewell party.
Other Ways to Say: Leave in style, Make a lasting impression
29. Give up the ghost
Meaning: To stop trying or to give up entirely, often due to exhaustion or failure.
In a Sentence: After several failed attempts, I finally gave up the ghost and decided to leave.
Other Ways to Say: Surrender, Throw in the towel
30. Walk the plank
Meaning: To face an inevitable or forced departure, often used in a figurative sense.
In a Sentence: After the company restructured, I felt like I was walking the plank, knowing I was about to lose my job.
Other Ways to Say: Face the consequences, Be pushed out
31. Go the way of the dodo
Meaning: To disappear or become obsolete.
In a Sentence: With the rise of smartphones, old-fashioned cameras seem to have gone the way of the dodo.
Other Ways to Say: Become outdated, Disappear
32. Say one’s farewells
Meaning: To say goodbye or depart from someone.
In a Sentence: We had to say our farewells at the train station before heading in different directions.
Other Ways to Say: Bid adieu, Say goodbye
33. Take a breather
Meaning: To leave for a short time in order to relax or recover.
In a Sentence: After a stressful week at work, I decided to take a breather and go for a walk in the park.
Other Ways to Say: Take a break, Rest
34. Turn tail and run
Meaning: To quickly leave a situation, often out of fear or self-preservation.
In a Sentence: When the storm hit, we turned tail and ran to find shelter.
Other Ways to Say: Flee, Run away
35. Pack up shop
Meaning: To close a business or leave a place after completing an activity.
In a Sentence: After the last customer left, we packed up shop and went home.
Other Ways to Say: Close up, Shut down
36. Wave goodbye
Meaning: To signal that you are leaving, often done by waving your hand.
In a Sentence: As I drove away, I waved goodbye to my childhood home.
Other Ways to Say: Say farewell, Bid goodbye
37. Head for the hills
Meaning: To leave in a hurry, often because something unpleasant is about to happen.
In a Sentence: As soon as the argument started, I headed for the hills to avoid further conflict.
Other Ways to Say: Escape, Run away
38. Be on your way
Meaning: To leave or begin a journey.
In a Sentence: It’s time to be on your way; the bus is about to leave.
Other Ways to Say: Head out, Leave
39. Jump the fence
Meaning: To leave a situation or location, sometimes escaping an unwanted circumstance.
In a Sentence: He jumped the fence and left the party early to avoid the awkward conversation.
Other Ways to Say: Escape, Sneak out
40. Do a runner
Meaning: To leave suddenly and often without informing others.
In a Sentence: When the bill came, he did a runner and left the restaurant.
Other Ways to Say: Sneak away, Run off
41. Hit the sack
Meaning: To go to bed or rest, usually after a long day.
In a Sentence: I’m so tired, I’m ready to hit the sack and get some sleep.
Other Ways to Say: Go to sleep, Hit the hay
42. Fly the coop
Meaning: To leave or escape, often used when someone departs from a controlled or restricted place.
In a Sentence: After years of living at home, he finally decided to fly the coop and move out.
Other Ways to Say: Leave the nest, Break free
43. Run for the hills
Meaning: To flee or escape in a hurry, often when a situation is escalating or dangerous.
In a Sentence: When the storm started, everyone ran for the hills to avoid getting caught in it.
Other Ways to Say: Escape, Flee
44. Slip away
Meaning: To leave quietly or without drawing attention.
In a Sentence: She quietly slipped away from the party to avoid the chaos.
Other Ways to Say: Sneak out, Depart quietly
45. Take the exit
Meaning: To leave a place, often when you are done with something or are moving on.
In a Sentence: After all the fun, it was time to take the exit and head home.
Other Ways to Say: Leave, Exit the scene
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks:
- After a long day at work, I decided to _______ the road and head home.
- When the meeting dragged on, I chose to _______ the exit and leave early.
- I had to _______ the towel after trying to fix the car for hours.
- I felt like I was about to _______ the plank when they told me I was being let go.
- She told him to _______ after he made a rude comment.
- He had to _______ up shop early because of the rainstorm.
- I decided to _______ the fence when the conversation turned uncomfortable.
- It’s time to _______ the sack; I’m exhausted after a long day.
- When things got tense, we had to _______ for the hills to avoid the argument.
- I was so tired after the trip that I wanted to _______ off to bed immediately.
- When the concert ended, we all waved our _______ to say goodbye.
- As soon as the bell rang, we _______ out of the classroom for the weekend.
- They asked if I could stay a little longer, but I had to _______.
- After the final performance, the actor decided to _______ into the sunset.
- She promised not to _______ the ghost and would continue to try despite the setbacks.
Answers:
hit, exit, throw, walk, take, pack, jump, hit, run, bounce, wave, slip, leave, ride, give
Conclusion
Idioms for leaving not only add flair to our language, but they also help us express various ways of departing from situations or places. Whether you’re saying goodbye to a friend, quitting a job, or just heading home after a busy day, these idioms provide fun, creative alternatives to the simple “goodbye.” By incorporating them into your conversations, you’ll sound more fluent, playful, and engaging.
Remember, idioms like these are an essential part of language learning because they offer deeper cultural insights and make communication more dynamic. So, next time you find yourself in a situation where you’re leaving or moving on, try using one of these idioms to add some color and personality to your speech. Keep practicing, and soon, these phrases will feel like second nature!
