Leave

Synonyms for leave
noun permission

authorization
allowance
okay
freedom

consent
sanction
assent
liberty

dispensation
go-ahead
permit
concession

tolerance
green light
sufferance

Antonyms for leave

denial
refusal
veto
incarceration
disapproval

protest
limitation
prohibition
restriction
disagreement

imprisonment
restraint
difference
workday

Synonyms
noun holiday, time off

retirement
furlough
leave of absence
sabbatical

vacation
adieu
departure
liberty

farewell
goodbye
withdrawal
parting

leave-taking

Antonyms

greeting
limitation
prohibition

restriction
hello
stay

workday

Synonyms
verb depart, abandon physically

fly
quit
take off
move
retire
start
withdraw
escape
go
flee
disappear
relinquish
vamoose
emigrate

vanish
elope
abscond
migrate
sally
defect
flit
embark
part
exit
split
scram
vacate
decamp

ditch
issue
desert
forsake
beat it
break away
clear out
cut out
pull out
push off
step down
come away
give the slip
go away

go forth
head out
move out
remove oneself
ride off
run along
say goodbye
set out
slip out
take a hike
take leave
walk out

Antonyms

remain
complete
come in
face
stay

come
finish
arrive
stop
hold

keep
join
continue
care
maintain

Synonyms
verb abandon, renounce

quit
drop
stop
evacuate
surrender
forbear

relinquish
maroon
cede
waive
terminate
yield

resign
desist
cease
refrain
desert
forsake

back out
drop out
hand over
knock off
give up
give notice

Antonyms

continue
do
help
begin
initiate

start
keep on
come
go
hold

keep
care
maintain

Synonyms
verb forget, neglect

drop
allow
have
omit

mislay
suffer
let
permit

leave behind
lay down
let be
let continue

let go
let stay

Antonyms

disallow
refuse
reject
keep

come
go
continue
hold

care
maintain

Synonyms
verb give, especially after death

cede
apportion
legate
devise
confide

will
transmit
bequeath
allot
consign

commit
entrust
refer
bequest
assign

demise
hand down
leave behind
give over

Antonyms

withhold
hold
keep
receive

take
retain
come
go

continue
care
maintain

Usage Notes

Leave is interchangeable with let when followed by alone with the sense “to refrain from annoying or interfering with”: Leave (or Let) her alone and she will solve the problem easily. When he was left (or let) alone without interruptions, the boy quickly assembled the apparatus. The use of leave alone for let alone in the sense “not to mention” is nonstandard: There wasn’t any standing room, let (not leave) alone a seat, so I missed the performance. Other substitutions of leave for let are generally regarded as nonstandard: Let (not Leave) us sit down and talk this over. Let (not Leave) her do it her own way. The police wouldn’t let (not leave) us cross the barriers. See also let1.