Bye - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

Maybe your like

SKIP TO CONTENT bye /baɪ/ /baɪ/ IPA guide

Other forms: byes

If you say, "Bye!" you mean "farewell" or "so long." In other words, bye is a shorter way to say, "Goodbye."

When you need a quick, informal way to bid your friend adieu, you'll probably say, "Bye!" It's shorthand for "goodbye," and when adults speak to babies and children, there's a tendency to double it: "Bye bye!" Another kind of bye is when an athlete moves directly into the next round of a competition without playing, a meaning that originated with the game of cricket.

Definitions of bye

noun a farewell remark “they said their good-byes” synonyms: adieu, adios, arrivederci, au revoir, auf wiedersehen, bye-bye, cheerio, good day, good-by, good-bye, goodby, goodbye, sayonara, so long see moresee less type of: farewell, word of farewell an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting
noun you advance to the next round in a tournament without playing an opponent “he had a bye in the first round” synonyms: pass see moresee less type of: conceding, concession, yielding the act of conceding or yielding

Pronunciation US /baɪ/ UK /baɪ/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

MLA
APA
Chicago

Copy citation DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘bye'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback Word Family 2 million people are mastering new words. Master a word

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.

Get started Learn with us

Learner subscriptions
Vocabulary lists
Dictionary
Test Prep
Join a Vocabulary Jam
Commonly confused words
Word of the day

Teach with us

For educators
For schools and districts
How it works
Success stories
Research
Professional development
Contact sales

Resources

Help articles/FAQ
Teaching resources
Learner resources
ESL/ELL resources
Grade level resources
IPA Pronunciation
Contact support

Leaderboards

Vocabulary Bowl
Today's leaders
Weekly leaders
Monthly leaders

About

Our Mission
Blog
Tell us what you think
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use

My Account Log in Sign up

Log Out
My Learning
My Proficiency Report
My Profile
Schools & Teachers
My Classes
Assignments & Activities
My Lists
- Find a List to Learn...
- Create a New List...
My Progress
- Words I'm Learning
- My Trouble Words
- Words I've Mastered
- My Achievements
User Administration
User Authentication
My Account