kiss someone goodbye

Meaning

Literally, this phrase means to give someone a kiss as you are leaving them. Figuratively, it can also mean to accept that you are going to lose something forever, like an opportunity or money. In daily life, it is most often used in its literal sense with partners and family members.

Examples

• She always kisses her husband goodbye before she leaves for work.

  She always kisses her husband goodbye before she leaves for work.

• Don't forget to kiss your kids goodbye before they get on the school bus.

  Don't forget to kiss your kids goodbye before they get on the school bus.

• He kissed her goodbye at the airport and promised to call later.

  He kissed her goodbye at the airport and promised to call later.

• If you don't save your work, you can kiss those hours of progress goodbye.

  If you don't save your work, you can kiss those hours of progress goodbye.

• I quickly kissed my mom goodbye and ran out the front door.

  I quickly kissed my mom goodbye and ran out the front door.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ She kissed goodbye her husband.

  ✓ She kissed her husband goodbye.

  The person being kissed must come directly after the verb 'kiss'. You cannot put 'goodbye' before the person.

• ✗ I kissed to my friend goodbye.

  ✓ I kissed my friend goodbye.

  'Kiss' is a transitive verb, so you do not need the preposition 'to' before the person.

Related Expressions

Practice

• He leaned over to ___ his wife goodbye before she left for work.

  💡 Action of showing affection on departure

  Show answer

  kiss

• I always ___ my mom goodbye when I visit her.

  💡 Present tense action of kissing someone as you leave

  Show answer

  kiss