awhile

[uh-hwahyl, uh-wahyl] / əˈʰwaɪl, əˈwaɪl /

ADVERB

for a short period

Synonyms

WEAK

briefly for a bit for a little while for a moment for a spell for a while for the moment momentarily not for long temporarily transiently

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

awhile

Even if the war ends soon, it could take awhile to restore some energy supply.

From Barron's ● Mar. 23, 2026

Chrissy Lawler saw her social life dry up awhile back.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 22, 2026

California does take awhile to count its ballots and finalize its elections.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026

Our call of the day from Charlie McElligott, Nomura’s widely respected cross-asset strategist, says investors had been ready for AI headwinds this year, but instead are facing a second-order one that wasn’t expected for awhile.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 4, 2026

It takes him awhile to get up from the flower bed and wipe the dirt from his hands.

From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick