Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

awhile

/əˈwaɪl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.89 in modern English

Syllables: awhile
IPA: /əˈwaɪl/

12

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

For some time; for a short time.

adv

In the meantime; during an implicit ongoing process.

American usage

Example Sentences

"Sit with me awhile."
"Take two cupfuls of rolled oats, put in bread pan, turn on four cupfuls of boiling water, stir for awhile."
"Engine No. 18 went off into a shed to rest awhile, and No. 7, a precisely similar one, backed on to the train in her place."
"The Negroes, having waited for the white people to go upstairs, began to come in. “Whoa now, just a minute,” said a club member, holding up his walking stick. “Just don’t start up them there stairs yet awhile.”"
"I'll slip beneath these sheets and shiver here awhile / I find this happening more frequently these days"
"Can I get you a drink awhile?"

Etymology

From Old English āne (“(for) a”) hwīle (“while”).

Origin

Source language: Old English

Word Breakdown

Root: āne

Usage

American usage

Frequently Paired Words

while

Synonyms

for a minute momentarily for the moment meanwhile meanwhilst the while for a while

Rhymes With

while style file smile mile pile kyle isle worthwhile tile aisle nile

Questions

How do you pronounce awhile?: The recorded pronunciation is /əˈwaɪl/.
What does awhile mean?: For some time; for a short time.
Where does awhile come from?: It is traced to Old English.

How to pronounce awhile

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “awhile”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/əˈwaɪl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “awhile”.
Repeat and practice — Say “awhile” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.