Definition of goodbye in English:

goodbye

(US goodby)

exclamation

Used to express good wishes when parting or at the end of a conversation.
- ‘Papa remained stoic for the most part, but sounded rather choked when he wished me goodbye.’
- ‘I'll go over for a few hours, have dinner with Mama and Papa, wish them goodbye and all that.’
- ‘We go to say goodbye, and instead of a handshake I get not one kiss, but two.’
- ‘It was now time to say goodbye, an emotional moment with promises of returning soon.’
- ‘At the end we hugged and kissed each other goodbye, and he gave me his new address and email, and promised to be in touch.’
- ‘We say goodbye, demanding that each other look after ourselves and the best of luck.’
- ‘Jan, Eve and Penelope were all ready for the off as we went to say goodbye.’
- ‘Belinda is just thinking about going home when Kevin comes up and hugs her goodbye.’
- ‘We parted ways shortly before noon and under a brilliant, sunny sky we said goodbye.’
- ‘After we had waved everyone goodbye, the Gamekeeper wandered in to confer about concrete.’
- ‘The family didn't make it in time to say goodbye, but we know she was in excellent hands.’
- ‘But as he was saying goodbye, alarm came over his face as he looked back over my shoulder.’
- ‘She left Alfie again, then called from Paris to say goodbye: she was not coming back.’
- ‘We got along really well, and it would have been fine, but he kissed me goodbye.’
- ‘As I left for the airport, my daughter ran alongside the taxi and we waved goodbye.’
- ‘He walked me back towards my hotel when I was due to meet Roger and he gave me a quick peck on the cheek to say goodbye.’
- ‘As they came up to the glass sliding doors quite a crowd of boys waved goodbye.’
- ‘Myra and Jo were dropped off at a city centre hairdressers after kissing Toni goodbye.’
- ‘One of the trains began to set off so my three-year-old son started to wave goodbye.’
farewell, adieu
View synonyms

noungoodbys, goodbyes

An instance of saying ‘goodbye’; a parting.
‘we said our goodbyes and set off’
- ‘Saying what are likely to be final goodbyes is something else again.’
- ‘With a sudden jerk the we move forward, a few tears are shed, hands wave final goodbyes in a mad frenzy.’
- ‘The couple went to the airport where they said their final heartbreaking goodbyes to each other.’
- ‘So I said my final goodbyes to the cook and then left the house at a fast walk, not turning around once.’
- ‘Claudie says her final goodbyes before she jets off on her mission of a lifetime into space.’
- ‘Then we said our goodbyes, but not before I'd wangled an opening night ticket out of him for Saturday Night Fever.’
- ‘Thankyous and goodbyes were proudly presented and before we all knew it, everyone was back on the bus.’
- ‘I had to dash off for a meeting, so the goodbyes were fairly truncated, and got back to the office to find my Korean agenda in my inbox.’
- ‘No extended goodbyes from our little dog, no without even looking back she jumped in the back of the car to say hello to her boyfriend.’
- ‘I think he realised quite quickly that I wasn't really interested because he said his goodbyes and left us.’
- ‘We drank together and then, after that, we took a picture, and said our goodbyes.’
- ‘He was soaked and was in search of a cup of tea and some hot grub, so Anna took him to Bressigarth tea room, and they said their goodbyes.’
- ‘We've seen it in all its glory, we took pictures of it when it was on fire and are now here to say our last goodbyes to the ship.’
- ‘Spare a thought for all those wives, husbands and children who this weekend will be saying their goodbyes.’
- ‘Of course he would prefer to be paid and if a good and salaried job was offered elsewhere, he would say sad goodbyes and move on.’
- ‘We said our goodbyes and I promised we'd come visit again next time we were in town.’
- ‘We arrived at the railway station on perfect time and said our goodbyes.’
- ‘Then when our car finally came - the rest of the kids shouted their goodbyes and sped off on their bikes.’
- ‘As she came to each sailor, she wished them a simple goodbye, not bearing the strength to say more.’
- ‘What fun it was interviewing them as they politely wished me a last goodbye and headed for the hills.’
goodbye, farewell
View synonyms