getaway

American  

[get-uh-wey] / ˈgɛt əˌweɪ /

noun

1. a getting away or fleeing; an escape.

2. the start of a race.

   a fast getaway.

3. a place where one escapes for relaxation, vacation, etc., or a period of time for such recreation.

   a little seaside getaway; a two-week getaway in the Bahamas.

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adjective

1. used as a means of escape or fleeing.

   a stolen getaway car.

2. used for occasional relaxation, retreat, or reclusion.

   a weekend getaway house.

Etymology

Origin of getaway

First recorded in 1850–55; noun use of verb phrase get away

Explanation

A getaway is a speedy escape, like the getaway bank robbers make when they flee the crime scene in a car. The word getaway is so often used for fleeing criminals that it's also a way to describe the vehicle they use: "Follow that getaway car!" A completely different type of getaway is a vacation, like your family's weekend getaway to the Catskills last summer. The "escape" meaning is older, and it originally referred to foxes that eluded hunters.

Example Sentences

The comic has previously acted in TV sitcoms such as Avoidance and Romantic Getaway, but this will mark his first time acting on stage.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025

Ryan’s ownership group will send unraced Getaway Car, named for a Taylor Swift song, in a maiden special race at Del Mar on Saturday.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 19, 2024

So far, the acoustic section has included fan favourites like Mirrorball, Snow On The Beach and Getaway Car alongside more mainstream hits like Welcome To New York and her debut single Tim McGraw.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2023

He set off alone from Miami for a four-night cruise to the Bahamas in September on the Norwegian Cruise Line Getaway ship.

From Washington Post • May 26, 2022

Passing the stand Calycanthus was half a length in front of Hindoo, second, who was a like distance ahead of Lelex, third, followed by Sligo, Alfambra and Getaway.

From History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921 by O'Connor, John Lawrence