away
adverb
UK/əˈweɪ/US/əˈweɪ/
to or at a distance from a particular place, person, or thing
Example Sentences
He walked away without saying a word.
Please keep children away from the construction area.
As soon as the bell rang, the students ran away from the classroom.
Your luggage is stored away in the overhead compartment for safety.
Stay away from the cliff’s edge because the ground may be unstable.
They decided to move away from the city to a more peaceful rural area, seeking a better quality of life and hoping to reduce daily stress caused by noise and overcrowding.
I prefer to keep my personal belongings away from prying eyes, especially when traveling or staying in crowded places that might attract petty thieves looking for an easy target.
If the situation feels too overwhelming, it’s sometimes best to walk away and revisit it later with a calmer perspective.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
Antonyms
How to Use
Signifies being gone from a spot, moving or located elsewhere, out of immediate reach or presence.“Away” primarily indicates separation in space or time from a current location, person, or situation. For example, “He walked away from the argument” underscores physically leaving the scene or distancing oneself from conflict. If someone says, “She’s away on vacation,” it means she’s out of town, not currently present. In sports contexts, the “away team” refers to the visiting team playing in the opponent’s venue. Sometimes “away” also emphasizes removing or clearing something—like “Throw those old papers away,” meaning to discard them. In short, “away” conveys distance or absence, whether physical, emotional, or temporal.
Alternatives
Synonyms for “away” vary with context. “Elsewhere” might focus on being in a different place, while “gone” highlights absence. Phrases like “out of reach,” “not here,” or “apart” likewise describe distance or separation. “Off” can replace it casually, as in “He ran off.” Each choice spins a slightly different nuance—‘gone’ leans on absence, ‘elsewhere’ frames relocation, ‘apart’ can show emotional or conceptual distance. Nevertheless, “away” remains the simplest, most direct adverb for indicating movement from a place or state.
Writing
When using “away” in formal or narrative writing, specify the type of distance involved. A travelogue might note, “They journeyed far away from the bustling city,” evoking a sense of physical departure. In a story, “He turned away, not wanting her to see his tears,” suggests emotional withdrawal rather than just physical movement. If referencing time, “The performance is still months away,” underscores a future point not yet reached. By pairing “away” with concrete details—how far, from where, or why—you help readers visualize the shift or absence. In instructions—like “Stow away hazardous materials securely”—the emphasis is on proper distancing for safety or organization.
Casual Conversation
In daily chats, “away” pops up for quick references: “I’ll be away this weekend,” meaning you won’t be around. People say, “He’s away from his desk,” indicating he’s out of the office. You might remind a friend, “Don’t throw away those receipts yet,” showing you need them for later. Sometimes, “away” is just a filler in phrasal verbs: “He put away the groceries,” or “She washed away the mud.” It can also be used in text status (like “Away” on chat platforms) indicating you’re not actively present. In these contexts, “away” is a plain, flexible term for anything from quick errands to extended absences.
Etymology
“Away” stems from Old English “on weg” (literally “on way” or “off the way”), merging over time into a single word. Historically, it conveyed the notion of being ‘on one’s way’—thus gone or apart from the current spot. Over centuries, usage broadened to cover both physical distance (walking away) and figurative senses (fading away, throwing away). Despite evolving nuances, the root meaning persists: “away” indicates moving from here to somewhere else, or being absent from the original location or state.
