leave behind
Not take along
To leave behind is to depart without taking something or someone along.
You might leave behind a suitcase at the hotel or leave behind your hometown for a new city.
The phrase often carries emotional weight—what's left behind may be abandoned, outgrown, or lost: She left behind her old life when she moved abroad.
To leave someone behind can mean to outpace them: The runners left the slower competitors behind.
A person who dies leaves behind survivors: He left behind a wife and three children.
Completely abandoned or discarded
- desertionUnlawful abandonment of duty
- neglectFailure to provide care
- rejectionDenial of acceptance
- estrangementEmotional separation between people
discard · marooned · stranded · jilted · disown · castoff · derelict · renounce
Exceed in velocity
- outstripSurpass or overtake
- overtakePass while moving faster
- exceedGo past a limit
- outrunSurpass in speed
outdistance · outperform · eclipse · surpass · pull ahead · transcend · outgrow
Inherited cultural legacy
- inheritanceProperty received from ancestors
- bequestGift left by will
- endowmentPermanent donated fund
- heirloomInherited family treasure
tradition · birthright · patrimony · descendants · estate · testament · memorial · footprint
State following loss
- mourningPeriod following loss
- lossBeing without something
- heartacheDeep emotional distress
- sorrowDeep emotional distress
anguish · void · emptiness · bereft · widowed · survivor · loved ones · memories
Leave-taking expression
- goodbyeDeparting salutation
- exodusMass departure from somewhere
- emigrationLeaving homeland permanently
- relocationPermanent change of residence
voyage · journey · embarkation · sendoff · parting · bon voyage · see off · wave goodbye
forsaken
Completely abandoned or discarded
estrangement · discard · marooned · stranded · jilted · disown · castoff · derelict · renounce · repudiate
outpace
Exceed in velocity
outrun · outdistance · outperform · eclipse · surpass · pull ahead · transcend · outgrow
heritage
Inherited cultural legacy
- inheritanceProperty received from ancestors
- bequestGift left by will
- endowmentPermanent donated fund
heirloom · tradition · birthright · patrimony · descendants · estate · testament · memorial · footprint · imprint
bereavement
State following loss
sorrow · anguish · void · emptiness · bereft · widowed · survivor · loved ones · memories · absence
farewell
Leave-taking expression
- goodbyeDeparting salutation
- exodusMass departure from somewhere
- emigrationLeaving homeland permanently
relocation · voyage · journey · embarkation · sendoff · parting · bon voyage · see off · wave goodbye · set out
- abandonmentabandon, abandoned, forsake, desert, neglect
- movingmoving, moving truck, move out, move in, movers
- Moving Onlet go, move on, closure, acceptance, fresh start
- overcome obstaclesovercome, surmount, conquer, prevail, push through
- transfer verbsgive, pass, send, share, hand
- releasefree, liberate, let go, unleash, release
leave behindfall behind
Fail to maintain pace
lag behind · trail · follow · keep up with · catch up with
leave, behind, leaves, leaving, leaver, leave-taking, leavers, left behind, leaving behind