awhile

IPA/əˈwaɪl/
KK[əwˈaɪl]IPA/əˈwaɪl/

awhile — adverb

1. for a brief period; used after a verb to say that the action lasts only a small

1.adverbB1
Definition

for a brief period; used after a verb to say that the action lasts only a small amount of time.

Example

Dario sat down on the park bench to rest awhile before walking home.

verb + awhile pattern after a physical action

Please stay awhile and tell Élise about your trip to Kyoto.

imperative + stay awhile (inviting someone to remain a bit longer)

Common collocations
  • sit awhile
  • stay awhile
  • wait awhile
  • rest awhile
  • linger awhile
Synonyms
  • briefly

    more formal; usually placed before the verb (he briefly paused)

  • momentarily

    American English meaning 'for a moment'; can sound more dramatic

  • for a bit

    informal spoken alternative; uses the noun phrase, not the adverb

Antonyms
  • permanently

    for an unlimited time, not for a short span

  • forever

    informal opposite of a brief stay

Grammar Patterns

verb + awhile

Usage Note

Written as one word and used only adverbially (after a verb). Distinguish from the noun phrase 'a while', which follows a preposition such as 'for' or 'in' — write 'wait for a while', not 'wait for awhile'.

Common Mistakes

Kian rested for awhile before lunch.
Kian rested for a while before lunch.
after a preposition, use the two-word noun phrase 'a while'.
Sophia needs an awhile to think.
Sophia needs a while to think.
'awhile' cannot follow an article or be the object of a verb.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four expressions name a short span of time, but they pattern differently. 'Awhile' is a single-word adverb that sits directly after the verb (rest awhile, sit awhile) and never follows a preposition. 'For a while' uses the two-word noun phrase 'a while' after the preposition 'for' and is the everyday choice in spoken English (we waited for a while). 'Briefly' is more formal and usually appears before the main verb (he briefly explained the problem); it focuses on the shortness of the action rather than the rest period. 'Momentarily' in American English also means 'for a moment', though in British English it more often means 'in a moment' (soon), so writers aiming at a global readership prefer 'briefly' or 'for a moment' to avoid the ambiguity.

awhile ↗briefly ↗momentarily ↗for a while

Common collocations

Phrases

  • sit awhile
  • stay awhile
  • wait awhile
  • rest awhile
  • linger awhile
  • pause awhile

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Old English 'āne hwīle', literally 'a while', where 'hwīl' meant a period of time. By Middle English the two parts were often written together as one word when used adverbially, and modern usage keeps the single-word spelling only for the adverb sense; the noun phrase 'a while' stays separated.