Meaning & use
new departure
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A completely new way of doing something, different from what was done before.
Grammar: Countable; often used with an or the, and followed by in or for.
Patterns
- a new departure in something
- a new departure for someone
- represent a new departure
The company's move into electric cars was a new departure for them.
This policy is a new departure in education.
Her decision to study abroad marked a new departure in her life.
Word forms
| plural | new departures |
|---|
Common combinations
- a new departure in
- The new law is a new departure in environmental protection.
- a new departure for
- Writing a novel was a new departure for the journalist.
- mark a new departure
- The agreement marked a new departure in trade relations.
- represent a new departure
- The design represents a new departure for the brand.
Synonyms and how they differ
- innovation
- Innovation emphasizes a new idea or method; a new departure emphasizes the change from a previous course of action.
- break
- A break (with tradition) is similar, but a new departure often sounds more planned and formal.
Opposites
Commonly confused: new departure or departure?
new departure vs departure
Departure usually means leaving a place (e.g., a flight departure). A new departure is a figurative phrase meaning a change in approach.
Practice
The company's decision to open stores overseas was a ______ departure for them.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'a new departure'. Other adjectives like 'fresh' or 'modern' do not form the established idiom.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “new departure”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.