Get away meaning
Get away means to escape from a person or a place. It can also mean to go somewhere for a holiday, usually to rest.
get away
get away · got · getting
The thief got away on a scooter.
Get away meanings and examples
3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level from Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries and the Cambridge Dictionary.
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1
Escape from a person or a place
get away
- The thief got away on a scooter.
- The cat got away from the dog and ran up a tree.
- Don’t let him get away!
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2
Go somewhere for a holiday, usually to rest
get away
- We’re hoping to get away for a few days in May.
- Did you manage to get away this summer?
- I just need to get away from the city for a weekend.
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3
Manage to leave a place, often later than you wanted
get away
- I couldn’t get away from the office until eight.
- Sorry I’m late. My aunt wouldn’t let me get away.
- Can you get away early on Friday?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use get away in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is get away separable?
Get away has no object. To say what you escape or leave, add from: get away from the noise, get away from him.
In British English, Get away! on its own can mean I don’t believe you! You met the Queen? Get away!
Verb tenses for get away
| Present | I get away · she gets away |
|---|---|
| Past | got away |
| Present perfect | have got away (US: have gotten away) |
| -ing form | getting away |
Common mistakes with get away
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: We got away the city for the weekend.
Right: We got away from the city for the weekend.
Add from before the place you leave.
Wrong: He cheated and got away from it.
Right: He cheated and got away with it.
For not being punished, use get away with.
Wrong: I couldn’t get away of work today.
Right: I couldn’t get away from work today.
Use from, not of.
Synonyms and opposites of get away
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- escapemore formal, often from danger
- go awayleave a place, or travel somewhere for a holiday
- run awayleave quickly on foot, often from home
Opposite
- get caughtbe stopped and held by someone
- stay instay at home and not go out
Get away quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1The police chased him, but he ___.
Get away means escape.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use from after get away.
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3Work has been crazy. What does Ana mean by “I need to get away”?
Get away can mean go on holiday to rest.
More phrasal verbs with get
All phrasal verbs with get, by level, with an exercise
19 phrasal verbs start with get. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
- get upA1get out of bed after you sleep
- get onA2go onto a bus, train, plane, boat or bike
- get offA2leave a bus, train, plane, boat or bike
- get backA2return home or to a place where you were before
- get inA2enter a car, a taxi, a building or a small space
- get outA2leave a car, a room or a building
- get intoA2go inside a car, a building or a small space
- get overB1feel better after an illness
- get alongB1like each other and be friendly
- get aroundB1travel or move from place to place
- get togetherB1meet other people, usually to spend time together
- get byB2manage to live or do something with just enough money, skill or help
- get throughB2pass an exam or reach the next stage of a competition
- get away withB2do something wrong and not be punished for it
- get aheadB2be successful in your job or in life
- get on withB2start or continue doing something, especially work, after a pause
- get out ofB2avoid doing something you should do, often with an excuse
- get down toB2start doing something seriously and with full attention
Get away FAQ
Questions people ask about get away.
What is a getaway?
A getaway is a short holiday, or an escape after a crime: a weekend getaway, a getaway car. It is written as one word.
What is the difference between get away and go away?
Go away often tells someone to leave you: Go away, I’m busy! Get away stresses escaping or leaving with some effort.
What is the difference between get away and get away with?
Get away means escape or leave. Get away with something means do something wrong and not be punished: He got away with it.
Use get away in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.