away

1 of 2

adverb

ə-ˈwā 

1

: on the way : along

get away early

2

: from this or that place

go away

3

a

: in a secure place or manner

locked away

b

: in another direction

look away

4

: out of existence : to an end

echoes dying away

5

: from one's possession

gave away a fortune

6

: steadily onward : uninterruptedly

clocks ticking away

7

: by a long distance or interval : far

away back in 1910

8

baseball : at or near the side of home plate opposite that at which the batter stands

The pitch broke down and away.

9

sports : on the field or court of an opponent

… failed to win a single series, at home or away, against any of the six other teams in their division …

—Roger Angell

away

2 of 2

adjective

1

: absent from a place : gone

away for the weekend

2

: distant in space or time

a lake 10 miles away

the season is two months away

3

: played on an opponent's grounds

home and away games

4

baseball

a

: out

two away in the ninth

b

: aimed at or near the side of home plate opposite that at which the batter stands

Instead of chasing bad pitches, especially breaking balls down and away, he has been laying off them.

—Tim Kurkjian

awayness noun

Synonyms

Adverb

• down
• fro
• hence
• off
• out

Adjective

• deep
• distant
• far
• far-flung
• far-off
• faraway
• remote
• removed

Examples of away in a Sentence

Adverb

She hopes to get away early.

The family next door moved away.

We rowed away from the shore.

Roll up the rug and carry it away.

He pulled his arm away from the hot stove.

You should keep away from the dog. It could be dangerous.

She turned her face away.

The will was locked away in the safe.

She stowed the luggage away in the overhead compartment.

Adjective

They are away for the weekend.

“Where is he?” “He's away at the moment, but he'll be back soon.”

when I am away from home

The team played both home games and away games.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

These could possibly include forcing a government shutdown to push the Trump White House away from their moves toward authoritarianism and back toward a situation that elicits dialogue, negotiations, and compromise. —Ewan Palmer, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025

After its creative and commercial success elevated auteur Mike White into the pantheon of prestige showrunners, Season 2 ventured further afield, both geographically (to Sicily) and away from its home base, with excursions across the Italian isle. —Alison Herman, Variety, 11 Feb. 2025

Adjective

However, should Phil Parkinson’s side go on to clinch automatic promotion, the season will end on May 3 with an away game at Lincoln City. —Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025

The situation became so volatile the team needed regular police protection for its home and away matches. —Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing away

• a stone's throw away
• away from home
• away strip
• a world away from
• back away
• bang away
• bargain away
• bash away
• beaver away
• be/get carried away
• blink away tears
• blow away
• boil away
• break away
• break away from
• burn away
• carry away
• clear away
• come away from
• dance the night away
• die away
• do away with
• draw away
• dream away
• drive away
• explain away
• fall away
• far and away
• fiddle away
• fill away
• fire away
• frighten away/off
• fritter away
• gamble away
• get away from
• get away from it all
• get away with
• get away with murder
• give away
• give the game away
• go away
• going-away
• grind away
• home away from home
• keep-away
• lay away
• laze away
• light-years away
• lock away
• make away with
• nibble (away) at
• pack away
• pass away
• peg away
• piddle away
• pine away
• plug away
• pull away
• put away
• right away
• run away
• run away with
• salt away
• scare away/off
• send away for (something)
• send away to (someone) for (something)
• shut away
• shy (away) from
• sign away
• slip away
• smooth away
• sock away
• square away
• squirrel away
• stay away
• stow away
• strip away
• sweep away
• take away from (something)
• take it away
• take one's breath away
• take someone's breath away
• tear away
• There's no getting away from
• throw away
• tick away/by/past
• tidy away
• tow-away zone
• trail away/off
• turn away
• walk away from
• walk away with (something)
• wash away
• waste away
• wear away
• while away
• whittle away
• wipe away
• wish away

Kids Definition

away

1 of 2 adverb

ə-ˈwā 

1

: on the way

get away early

2

: from this or that place

go away

3

: in or to another place or direction

turn away

4

: to an end : out of existence

echoes dying away

5

: from one's possession

gave away a fortune

6

: without stopping or slowing down

talk away

7

: at or to a great distance in space or time : far

away back in 1910

away

2 of 2 adjective

1

: absent from a place : gone

he is away from home

2

: distant in space or time

a lake not far away

the season is two months away