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

Before abandoning legal ties to a country, one must first prove citizenship somewhere else — and that can take awhile.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026

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

It feels like this game will be close for awhile, and Seattle will pull away just enough in the second half.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 8, 2026

Surely they will parlay awhile, and give us time to get out of the way.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis