Phrase guide

leave behind

verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To abandon.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • We left behind our luggage at the hotel.
  • How could you leave me behind like that?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To forget about.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • We (accidentally) left behind our bags at the airport.
  • Just leave your cares behind you and enjoy the party.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To not live longer than; to be survived by.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • Mrs Johnston died at thirty, and left behind three young daughters.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To leave (a trace of something).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • The wound I got in my car accident left behind a massive scar.
  • Unfortunately, this cleaning product leaves behind a noticeable residue.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To outdo; to progress faster than (someone or something else).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • This product leaves behind all its competitors in the market.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To pass.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • As soon as we made our way onto the highway, we left the skyscrapers behind us.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see leave, behind.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

leave unchanged or undisturbed or refrain from taking

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • leave it as is
  • leave the young fawn alone
  • leave the flowers that you see in the park behind

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: leave, leave alone

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: refrain, forbear

Narrower terms: let

9

verb

Meaning 9

be survived by after one's death

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He left six children
  • At her death, she left behind her husband and 11 cats

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: leave

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: widow

10

verb

Meaning 10

depart and not take along

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He left behind all his possessions when he moved to Europe

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: outdistance, outstrip, distance

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

118 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: изоставям (izostavjam) — abandon
  • Bulgarian: напускам (napuskam) — abandon
  • Cherokee: ᎦᎧᎯᏯᎠ (gakahiyaa) — abandon
  • Cherokee: ᎠᏗᏏᏯ (adisiya) — abandon
  • Cherokee: ᎦᏂᏯᎠ (ganiyaa) — abandon
  • Chinese Mandarin: 遺棄 /遗弃 (yíqì) — abandon
  • Danish: efterlade — abandon
  • Dutch: achterlaten — abandon
  • Esperanto: postlasi — abandon
  • Finnish: jättää — abandon
  • French: abandonner — abandon
  • German: zurücklassen — abandon
  • German: hinterlassen — abandon
  • Gothic: 𐌱𐌹𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌸𐌰𐌽 (bileiþan) — abandon
  • Ancient Greek: καταλείπω (kataleípō) — abandon
  • Hungarian: otthagy — abandon
  • Hungarian: hátrahagy — abandon
  • Ingrian: jättää — abandon
  • Jamaican Creole: lef — abandon
  • Latin: relinquō — abandon
  • Latin: dēserō — abandon
  • Polish: zostawić — abandon
  • Polish: zostawiać — abandon
  • Romanian: abandona — abandon
  • Romanian: părăsi — abandon
  • Romanian: lăsa în urmă — abandon
  • Russian: оставля́ть (ostavljátʹ) — abandon
  • Russian: оста́вить (ostávitʹ) — abandon
  • Northern Sami: guođđit — abandon
  • Sanskrit: रिणक्ति (riṇakti) — abandon
  • Serbo-Croatian: оставити — abandon
  • Serbo-Croatian: напустити — abandon
  • Serbo-Croatian: изоставити — abandon
  • Serbo-Croatian: ostaviti — abandon
  • Serbo-Croatian: napustiti — abandon
  • Serbo-Croatian: izostaviti — abandon
  • Swedish: lämna — abandon
  • Bulgarian: забравям (zabravjam) — forget about
  • Chinese Mandarin: 忘記 /忘记 (wàngjì) — forget about
  • Chinese Mandarin: 掉 — forget about
  • Chinese Mandarin: 落 (là) — forget about
  • Finnish: unohtaa — forget about
  • French: laisser en arrière — forget about
  • German: vergessen — forget about
  • Hungarian: ottfelejt — forget about
  • Hungarian: otthagy — forget about
  • Jamaican Creole: lef — forget about
  • Japanese: 置き忘れる (okiwasureru) — forget about
  • Lao: ລືມ (lư̄m) — forget about
  • Romanian: uita — forget about
  • Romanian: lăsa în urmă — forget about
  • Romanian: lasă baltă — forget about
  • Russian: забыва́ть (zabyvátʹ) — forget about
  • Russian: забы́ть (zabýtʹ) — forget about
  • Northern Sami: vajálduhttit — forget about
  • Serbo-Croatian: заборавити — forget about
  • Serbo-Croatian: оставити — forget about
  • Serbo-Croatian: zaboraviti — forget about
  • Serbo-Croatian: ostaviti — forget about
  • Thai: ลืม (lʉʉm) — forget about
  • Bulgarian: надживявам (nadživjavam) — not live longer than
  • Bulgarian: оставям след себе си (ostavjam sled sebe si) — not live longer than
  • Chinese Mandarin: 留下 (liúxià) — not live longer than
  • Finnish: jättää jälkeensä — not live longer than
  • German: hinterlassen — not live longer than
  • Hungarian: hátrahagy maga után — not live longer than
  • Norwegian: legge igjen — not live longer than
  • Romanian: fi supraviețuit de — not live longer than
  • Russian: оставля́ть (ostavljátʹ) — not live longer than
  • Russian: оста́вить (ostávitʹ) — not live longer than
  • Serbo-Croatian: оставити иза себе — not live longer than
  • Serbo-Croatian: ostaviti iza sebe — not live longer than
  • Swedish: lämna efter sig — not live longer than
  • Bulgarian: оставям следа (ostavjam sleda) — leave a trace
  • Bulgarian: поствам (postvam) — leave a trace
  • Chinese Mandarin: 留下 (liúxià) — leave a trace
  • Finnish: jättää — leave a trace
  • Finnish: jättää jälki — leave a trace
  • German: hinterlassen — leave a trace
  • Hungarian: maga után hagy — leave a trace
  • Norwegian: legge igjen — leave a trace
  • Romanian: lăsa urmă — leave a trace
  • Russian: оставля́ть (ostavljátʹ) — leave a trace
  • Russian: оста́вить (ostávitʹ) — leave a trace
  • Serbo-Croatian: оставити траг — leave a trace
  • Serbo-Croatian: ostaviti trag — leave a trace
  • Bulgarian: надминавам (nadminavam) — outdo
  • Bulgarian: превъзхождам (prevǎzhoždam) — outdo
  • Chinese Mandarin: 超過 /超过 (chāoguò) — outdo
  • Chinese Mandarin: 勝過 /胜过 (shèngguò) — outdo
  • Finnish: jättää taakseen — outdo
  • German: abhängen — outdo
  • German: hinter sich lassen — outdo
  • Hungarian: túltesz — outdo
  • Hungarian: felülmúl — outdo
  • Romanian: întrece — outdo
  • Romanian: depăși — outdo
  • Russian: превосходи́ть (prevosxodítʹ) — outdo
  • Russian: превзойти́ (prevzojtí) — outdo
  • Serbo-Croatian: претећи — outdo
  • Serbo-Croatian: оставити иза себе — outdo
  • Serbo-Croatian: превазићи — outdo
  • Serbo-Croatian: preteći — outdo
  • Serbo-Croatian: ostaviti iza sebe — outdo
  • Serbo-Croatian: prevazići — outdo
  • Bulgarian: подминавам (podminavam) — pass
  • Bulgarian: отминавам (otminavam) — pass
  • Chinese Mandarin: 超過 /超过 (chāoguò) — pass
  • Finnish: jättää taakseen — pass
  • German: hinter sich lassen — pass
  • Hungarian: maga mögött hagy — pass
  • Romanian: depăși — pass
  • Russian: проходи́ть (proxodítʹ) — pass
  • Russian: пройти́ (projtí) — pass
  • Serbo-Croatian: оставити иза себе — pass
  • Serbo-Croatian: претећи — pass
  • Serbo-Croatian: ostaviti iza sebe — pass
  • Serbo-Croatian: preteći — pass