1 A2 neutral
To accidentally forget to take something or someone when you leave a place.
"I left my umbrella behind at the restaurant."
separable
leave behind
A2 neutral separable transitive
To forget to take something with you, to progress faster than others so they fall back, or to move on from a past situation.
In plain English
To accidentally forget something somewhere, or to move on so far that you pass others or escape from your past.
What does "leave behind" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To progress or advance so quickly that others cannot keep up.
"China has left many Western competitors behind in the field of solar panel manufacturing."
separable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
To escape from or stop being affected by a past situation, period, or identity.
"After therapy, she was finally able to leave her anxiety behind."
“
We will not go back. We will not leave our values behind.
— Barack Obama, 2012 Democratic National Convention speech
separable
4 B1 neutral
To leave a lasting mark, legacy, or effect after departing or dying.
"The artist left behind a collection of over 300 paintings."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To go away and let something or someone remain in the place you were.
Actually means
To accidentally forget something somewhere, or to move on so far that you pass others or escape from your past.
Usage tip
Very versatile: can be literal (forgetting an object), competitive (surpassing others), or emotional (escaping the past). All senses are common across registers.
Words that pair with "leave behind"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
past childhood rivals luggage legacy memories
How to conjugate "leave behind"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
leave behind
I/you/we/they
3rd person
leaves behind
he/she/it
Past simple
left behind
yesterday
Past participle
left behind
have + pp
-ing form
leaving behind
continuous
Hear "leave behind" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "leave behind" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "leave behind"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
abandon forget move on from outpace outstrip surpass
Keep exploring
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