upon departing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "upon departing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an action or event that occurs at the time of leaving or going away from a place. Example: "Upon departing the airport, I realized I had forgotten my luggage."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

It was said that a diplomat, upon departing his post in Havana, offered a gift to Mr. Castro.

The New York Times

It was also quite a week for James and his fully repaired reputation as the N.B.A.'s leading man-child, so to speak, after the 2010 fracture resulting from his grand pronouncement, or Decision, upon departing Cleveland for South Beach.

The New York Times - Sports

The winner of this congested battle of sub-.500 teams, we understand, gets an all-expenses-paid trip to Boston and a board game — Trivial Pursuit, Celtics champions edition — upon departing the playoffs after one round.

The New York Times - Sports

These words were bestowed upon departing Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard by none other than Francesco Totti, though, if their names and clubs were switched, the Italian could well have been referring to himself.

The Guardian - Sport

The conflict-of-interest case — which also included an allegation that Mr. Merrifield failed to disclose, upon departing the government, that he accepted travel reimbursements of $3,552.47 during his job hunt — was referred by the N.R.C. to the Justice Department for possible civil action and to the United States attorney's office in Maryland for potential criminal action.

The New York Times

All of this is to say that it is surely not too much to hope that this singular President, upon departing the White House, might issue the Ivy League a rain check and cast his lot, for the time being, with those students struggling to survive in the city, the ones living at the bottom of the hill.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

Blow us a kiss upon arriving or departing, and we will climax simultaneously.

The New York Times

Friendly greeting upon entering and departing, but table service, though attentive, is not always accommodating.

The New York Times

"It's not your fault they die," Eve assures her, as her aunt reflects upon her departed husbands literally, standing together in her bedroom mirror.

Vice

They were backed by a capacity 18,000 crowd at the redeveloped Ravenhill for the first time, while this is the last European campaign in which they call upon Muller and other departing forwards Joha Afoa and Tom Court.

BBC

Outside of school and politics, she enjoys watching copious amounts of television, departing historical knowledge upon strangers, and looking forward to life as an unemployed liberal arts major.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When crafting sentences with "upon departing", ensure that the subsequent clause clearly relates to the act of leaving, maintaining a logical and chronological connection.

Common error

Avoid using "upon departing" in casual or informal settings where simpler alternatives like "when leaving" or "after leaving" would be more appropriate. Overuse in informal contexts can sound unnatural.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "upon departing" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces a clause indicating a time relationship. It modifies the verb in the main clause, specifying when the action takes place relative to the act of leaving. Ludwig's examples show that it commonly introduces circumstances related to the moment of leaving.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

27%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "upon departing" is a grammatically correct and commonly used prepositional phrase that effectively indicates an action or event occurring at the moment of leaving a place. Ludwig's analysis, consistent with its validation as correct by Ludwig AI, showcases its frequent usage in news, encyclopedic and scientific contexts. While versatile, it is most appropriate in neutral to formal settings. For more casual situations, consider alternatives like "when leaving" or "after leaving". By understanding its function and context, you can confidently incorporate "upon departing" into your writing and speaking, ensuring clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on leaving

Replaces "upon" with "on", resulting in a more concise phrasing, but keeping the same temporal relationship to the action of leaving.

when departing

Uses the conjunction "when" to indicate the time of departure, which is more direct than "upon" but carries the same meaning.

as one departs

Emphasizes the action of leaving and provides a more descriptive alternative, highlighting the process of departure.

at the time of departure

Specifies the precise moment of leaving, using a more formal and explicit wording.

just after leaving

Highlights the temporal proximity to the act of leaving, focusing on the immediate aftermath.

after leaving

Indicates that the action happens subsequently, focusing on what happens after the departure.

before one's departure

Shifts the focus to the period preceding the act of leaving, setting a timeframe before the action.

in the act of leaving

Emphasizes the process of leaving itself, highlighting that something occurs during the departure.

as they exit

Uses a more informal and active verb, replacing the prepositional phrase with a verb-centric clause.

at their exit

Refers to the point of exit or departure. This alternative is more concise.

FAQs

How can I use "upon departing" in a sentence?

Use "upon departing" to indicate something that occurs at the moment of leaving a place. For example, "Upon departing the office, he realized he had left his briefcase behind."

What can I say instead of "upon departing"?

You can use alternatives like "when leaving", "on leaving", or "after leaving", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Which is more formal: "upon departing" or "when leaving"?

"Upon departing" is generally considered more formal than "when leaving". Use "upon departing" in formal writing and presentations, while "when leaving" is suitable for everyday conversation.

What's the difference between "upon departing" and "after departing"?

"Upon departing" suggests the event happens at the exact moment of departure, whereas "after departing" implies the event happens sometime after the act of leaving is complete.