To arrive means to reach a place you've been traveling toward. When the school bus arrives at your stop in the morning, it has completed its journey to that location. When guests arrive for dinner, they've finished their trip to your house. You might arrive early, arrive late, or arrive right on time.

The word suggests the end of movement from one place to another. A package arrives when the mail carrier delivers it. A train arrives at the station after traveling along its route. Astronauts arrive at the International Space Station after launching from Earth.

People also use arrive to describe reaching an important moment or achievement. When someone says a musician has finally arrived, they mean she's achieved real success and recognition. A student might say “summer has arrived!” when the last day of school finally comes.

The opposite of arriving is departing, which means leaving. While departure focuses on the beginning of a journey, arrival celebrates reaching your destination. When you arrive somewhere after a long trip, there's often a sense of relief or excitement: you made it.