away

1 of 2

adverb

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
General manager Chris Drury made a big play adding Miller on Friday night, but this is still a team sitting 5 points away from a playoff spot with 31 games to go, and the 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins demonstrated Drury’s work is likely far from over in this season of change. Arthur Staple, The Athletic, 2 Feb. 2025 Guests can indulge in the spa, which comes with a comprehensive menu of treatments, or head right to the beach just steps away. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
Though Swift skipped all of Travis Kelce's away games this season due to scheduling conflicts and alleged security concerns, some speculated that there was more to her absense in Buffalo, New York. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 26 Jan. 2025 On the cul-de-sac, gameday starts at one neighbor’s basement bar for home games, and in the living room of another during away games. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for away 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of away was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near away

Cite this Entry

“Away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/away. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

away

1 of 2 adverb
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

More from Merriam-Webster on away

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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