English Reference

Phrasal verb

get away from

Definition

phrasal verb. to leave a place or person, especially when it is difficult to do so; to escape a situation or a feeling.

phrasal verb. to escape or distance oneself from a location, person, or abstract concept; often used when the departure requires effort or is a response to pressure.

Examples

“I need to get away from the office for a few days.”

“It is hard to get away from the noise of the city when you live downtown.”

“The politician tried to get away from the controversial topic, but the journalists continued to press for a direct answer.”

Examples

simple

“I need to get away from the office for a few days.”

contextual

“It is hard to get away from the noise of the city when you live downtown.”

complex

“The politician tried to get away from the controversial topic, but the journalists continued to press for a direct answer.”

Usage

always followed by an object representing the thing or person being left behind.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'get away' (intransitive, meaning to go on holiday or escape generally) to show how 'from' introduces the specific source of stress or confinement.

Pitfall

He wants to get away of his problems.

He wants to get away from his problems.

the preposition 'from' must be used to indicate the source or thing being avoided, not 'of'.

Phrasal verb

Particles

away from

Separability

inseparable

Pattern

get + away + from + object

Synonyms

Antonyms

Grammar

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference