# get away

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/get-away
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to escape

phrasal verb · CEFR A2

to escape from someone or something that is chasing you.

For teachers: to escape from capture or pursuit. This sense is intransitive but often takes 'from' to specify the source of confinement.

- The thief managed to get away before the police arrived at the shop.
- The suspect managed to get away through a narrow alleyway, successfully evading the officers who had been pursuing him on foot.

### 2. to go on holiday

phrasal verb · CEFR B1

to go somewhere for a holiday or a short break to relax.

For teachers: to leave one's home or usual environment for the purpose of rest or vacation.

- We are hoping to get away for a few days this summer.
- After a particularly stressful quarter at the firm, the partners decided to get away to the coast for a long weekend of rest.

### 3. to move away

phrasal verb · CEFR A2

to move yourself away from a person or a specific spot.

For teachers: to physically distance oneself from a person, object, or location.

- Get away from the stove while it is still hot.
- The security guards instructed the crowd to get away from the barrier to ensure the motorcade could pass safely.

## Examples

- The bank robbers managed to get away in a stolen car.
- I have been working so hard lately that I really need to get away for the weekend.
- Despite the heavy security presence at the perimeter, the prisoner managed to get away under the cover of darkness.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: distinguish between the literal sense of escaping a pursuer and the metaphorical sense of going on holiday; the noun form 'getaway' is also a common related compound.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.