# away

> English word · Adverb · IPA /əˈweɪ/ · frequency rank #214

## Definitions
1. From a place, hence.
2. Aside; off; in another direction.
3. Aside, so as to discard something.
4. At a stated distance in time or space.
5. In or to something's usual or proper storage place.
6. In or to a secure or out-of-the-way place.
7. From a state or condition of being; out of existence.
8. So as to remove or use up something.
9. Come away; go away; take away.
10. On; in continuance; without intermission or delay.
11. Without restraint.

## Etymology
From Middle English away, awey, awei, oway, o wey, on way, from Old English āweġ, onweġ (“away”), originally on weġ (“on one's way; onward; on”), equivalent to a- (“on”) + way.
Cognate with Scots awa, away (“away”), Old Frisian aweg, awei (“away”), Saterland Frisian wäch, wääge (“away”), Dutch weg (“away”), German weg (“away”), Danish væk (“away”), Swedish i väg (“away; off; along”).

## Easily confused with
- **ay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/away-vs-ay)
- **awe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/away-vs-awe)
- **aww** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/away-vs-aww)
- **AWS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/away-vs-aws)
- **aya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/away-vs-aya)
- **awry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/away-vs-awry)
- **AWOL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/away-vs-awol)
- **awed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/away-vs-awed)
- **aways** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/away-vs-aways)
- **aw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aw-vs-away)
- **AA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aa-vs-away)
- **any** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/any-vs-away)
- **Amy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/amy-vs-away)
- **AKA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aka-vs-away)
- **ana** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ana-vs-away)
- **AAA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aaa-vs-away)
- **ADA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ada-vs-away)
- **aha** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aha-vs-away)
- **ala** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ala-vs-away)
- **Ava** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ava-vs-away)

## Common misspellings (5)
`aawy`, `awayy`, `awway`, `awya`, `waay`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/away