Usage of Awhile
Awhile and a while are increasingly used interchangeably, but a distinction is traditionally observed: awhile is an adverb that means "for a while" (that is, "for a period of time") and a while is a noun phrase meaning "a period of time." Awhile usually modifies a verb
was waiting awhile
stopping at the park awhile [= stopping awhile at the park]
; it can typically replace any instance of "for a while." The two-word form a while is used with the words ago or back,
a while ago/back
and when following a preposition.
I read for a while.
We'll see them in a while.
Cite this Entry
“Awhile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/awhile. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.
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