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

Example Sentences

That’s what I think of as a weekend-ish getaway.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

That “high, mindless scream in the getaway car,” Ebert writes, “provides, for me, a very adequate vision of hell.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

The recent fourth season of “Mormon Wives” revisits the crossover, with some of the women’s spouses partaking in their own “Villa” getaway that fuels more drama.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

During a recent getaway to a remote cabin in upstate New York, I found myself thinking about why the quiet is so frightening.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

He then looks for David Herold and their getaway horses.

From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly