50+ Ways to Say Goodbye in English

There are over 50 ways to say goodbye in English, including “bye,” “farewell,” and “until next time.” Although “goodbye” works in any situation, the synonyms for “goodbye” are used in specific contexts. For example, you might say “catch you later” when you’re done hanging out with friends and “thank you for your time” at the end of a business meeting.

The tips and examples below show how to say goodbye in different situations.

Informal ways of saying goodbye

These are the most common ways to say goodbye in casual situations or with people you know very well.

• Bye: Short for “goodbye” but much more common
• Bye-bye: A cute way to say goodbye to small children or very close friends
• Bye now: A softer version of “bye” common in the US South and Midwest
• Bye for now: For when you’ll see them again soon
• OK bye: A snarky, abrupt, or playful way to end a conversation that’s sometimes shortened to “K bye!”
• Good night: A goodbye for right before someone goes to sleep
• Until next time: A common goodbye for people you see on a regular basis
• See you then: For the end of a conversation about an upcoming event
• Until then: For when you’ll see or talk to the person at a scheduled time in the future
• See you tomorrow: For when you’ll see the person on the next day
• See you, see ya, or see you later: Very informal goodbye for someone you see often
• Catch you later: A very casual way to say “I will see you later”
• Later: Another very informal version of “see you later”
• Have a good one: A casual alternative to “have a good day,” “have a good evening,” etc.
• So long: Very informal goodbye expression that was more common in the 1900s
• Take care: A short version of “take care of yourself” that’s common in get well soon messages or anytime you care about the person’s health and happiness
• Take it easy: A more casual version of “take care” for someone who needs or enjoys relaxation and downtime
• Good seeing you: A short version of “It was good to see you”
• Keep in touch: A casual way to encourage the person to call or visit you again soon
• Don’t be a stranger: An assertive but playful way to encourage someone to call or visit you more often
• I’m out/I’m off: An extremely casual way to say that you’re leaving (e.g., “Bye, everyone! I’m out!)
• That’s a wrap: A slang expression from old film studios (when they would wrap the rolls of film) that means “this event/meeting/conversation is now over”
• Drive safe: A polite “goodbye” for when someone is about to drive somewhere; commonly used at the end of parties or before road trips
• Get home safe: A polite farewell for when someone’s going home; an alternative to “drive safe” if someone’s walking, riding the bus, etc.
• Safe travels: A casual way to tell someone to have a safe journey for a work trip, vacation, etc.
• Ta-ta: A casual farewell in UK English that people use in the US and other English-speaking countries
• Cheerio: Another casual goodbye that’s common in the UK

Text abbreviations for saying goodbye

When you’re saying goodbye over text with a close friend, you might use these acronyms: 

• TTFN: Ta-ta for now 
• TTYL: Talk to you later
• SYS: See you soon
• BRB: Be right back
• G2G: [I’ve] got to go

Funny ways to say goodbye

These funny goodbye sayings are common among close friends and other very informal situations, such as video game chats. 

• Peace out: A very friendly and relaxed version of “goodbye”
• Bye, Felicia!: A pop culture meme from the 1995 film Friday that’s common with close friends or online forums (in which case it can be a form of trolling)
• Ciao for now: A fun rhyme that uses the Italian word for “goodbye”
• Happy trails: The title of a 1950s western song and a very casual version of “safe travels” or “take care”
• Catch you on the flip side: A very informal goodbye for someone you’ll see again soon and a reference to the “B” side of a vinyl record
• Hasta la vista, baby: A reference to Terminator 2: Judgment Day that includes one of the ways to say goodbye in Spanish
• It’s been real: A form of sarcasm at the end of a challenging event (e.g., “Well it’s been real! Hopefully our next campout won’t be this rainy”)
• Smell ya’ later: An extremely silly version of “see you later” and one of Bart Simpson’s catchphrases
• See ya’ later, alligator: A playful rhyme that people sometimes reply with “after a while, crocodile”
• Later, tater: A rhyme that uses a slang word for “potato”
• I’m going to make like a tree and leave: A play on the word “leave,” which can be part of a tree or a verb that means “to depart”
• You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here: A funny way to tell everyone that the party’s over or the bar’s closed

How to say goodbye in formal situations

“Goodbye” is the most common way to end a formal conversation, such as a job interview or a business meeting. But there are many other ways to say goodbye in formal situations. Use these “goodbye” expressions with clients, managers, instructors, and other formal contacts. They’re also appropriate for friends and family.

Ways to say goodbye in formal writing

In formal emails and letters, it’s customary to sign off with one of these formal goodbyes.

• Best regards
• Kind regards
• Warm regards
• Sincerely
• Sincerely yours
• Yours truly
• All the best
• Best wishes

For example, you should always end a cover letter with one of these sign-offs and your full name.

Frequently asked questions about ways to say goodbye

How do I say goodbye in German?

You can say goodbye in German in these ways: 

• Tschüss: The most common and informal goodbye in German
• Auf Wiedersehen: The formal and polite German farewell
• Bis spӓter: German for “see you later”

QuillBot’s free AI Chat can give you quick and reliable details about ways to say goodbye in different languages.

Is it goodbye or good bye?

It is goodbye (one word) not good bye (two words). “Goodbye” is a closed compound word, which means there is no space or hyphen between “good” and “bye.”

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you write different ways to say goodbye correctly.

How do you spell bye?

Spell bye with the three letters “b-y-e” when you’re using a short version of “goodbye” (e.g., “bye for now.”). The word “by” with two letters is a preposition (e.g., “the photograph was taken by my grandfather”).

With the QuillBot Grammar Checker, you can say goodbye to spelling errors and use the different ways to say goodbye correctly every time.

What are 5 ways to say goodbye in French?

Five ways to say goodbye in French are:

• Au revoir: Appropriate for formal or casual situations and relationships
• Salut: An informal goodbye for friends and family (similar to “bye”)
• À bientôt: An informal goodbye expression that means “see you soon”
• À plus tard: A casual way to say goodbye that means “see you later”
• Bonne journée: French for “have a nice day”

QuillBot’s free AI Chat can show you even more ways to say goodbye in French.