adv
awhile
uh-WYL
adv
1
For a short time.
"Let's sit here awhile before heading back."
"She paused awhile to catch her breath."
How to Use Awhile
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFor a bit of time — a short period.
Common mistake
Awhile (one word) is an adverb meaning "for a time" and isn't used after a preposition; "a while" (two words) is a noun phrase used after "for" — "stay awhile" but "stay for a while".
Easily confused with
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Let's sit here _____ before heading back.
Etymology
From Old English āne hwīle, "(for) a while".