# go away

CEFR A2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/go-away
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

To leave a place or person. You can also use it as a direct command to tell someone to leave you alone.

For teachers: To depart from a location; an intransitive phrasal verb. It is also frequently used as an imperative to command someone to leave.

## Examples

- We go away for a week every summer.
- The headache finally started to go away after I took some medicine.
- The persistent feeling of unease would not go away, lingering long after the strange event had concluded.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He went away the city." but "He went away from the city." — 'Go away' is intransitive and cannot take a direct object; a preposition like 'from' is needed to specify the location.

## Usage notes

- As a command, 'Go away!' is very direct and can be considered rude.
- Teaching tip: Contrast the literal meaning of travel ('go away for the weekend') with the abrupt imperative ('Go away!'), which carries a strong negative pragmatic force.

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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.