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Definitions

AWOL

[ey-wawl, ey-wol] / ˈeɪ wɔl, ˈeɪ wɒl /
ADJECTIVE, ADVERB
absent
Synonyms
STRONGEST
away missing removed vanished
STRONG
gone
WEAK
astray elsewhere no-show nobody home playing hooky
Antonyms
WEAK
attending existing present sufficient
ADJECTIVE, ADVERB
absent without leave
Synonyms
WEAK
French leave absent from duty desertion hooky truancy unauthorized absence
ADJECTIVE, ADVERB
gone
Synonyms
STRONG
absent consumed decamped deceased departed disappeared disintegrated displaced dissipated dissolved done elapsed ended finished flown lacking left lost missing moved passed quit removed retired shifted spent split transferred traveling vanished withdrawn
WEAK
astray away burned up dead defunct down the drain dried-up extinct no more nonextant not a sign of not here out the window over past taken a powder taken leave turned to dust
Antonyms
STRONG
alive existing living present
WEAK
around current
ADJECTIVE, ADVERB
missing
Synonyms
STRONGEST
away lost removed
STRONG
disappeared lacking mislaid misplaced omitted short wanting
WEAK
astray left behind left out not present nowhere to be found unaccounted for
Antonyms
STRONG
adequate enough sufficient
WEAK
found here present
ADJECTIVE, ADVERB
truant
Synonyms
STRONG
hooky no-show
WEAK
absent without leave astray away cutting class gone missing not present playing hooky skipping school
NOUN
absence
Synonyms
STRONG
absenteeism cut hooky nonappearance nonattendance truancy vacancy
WEAK
French leave
Antonyms
WEAK
abundance enough existence plenty presence
NOUN
deserter
Synonyms
STRONGEST
defector escapee lawbreaker
STRONG
absconder apostate backslider betrayer delinquent derelict recreant refugee renegade runaway traitor
WEAK
criminal escaper hooky player no-show truant
Antonyms
STRONG
adherent loyalist
NOUN
escape
Synonyms
STRONGEST
breakout departure desertion disappearance flight freedom liberation outbreak rescue withdrawal
STRONG
abdication avoidance beat bolt break bypassing circumvention decampment deliverance dodging ducking elopement elusion elusiveness evasion evasiveness extrication fadeout hegira lam leave out powder release retreat shunning sidestepping spring
WEAK
eschewal runaround
Antonyms
STRONGEST
arrival coming entrance stay staying
STRONG
directness meeting
WEAK
capture maintenance
NOUN
French leave
Synonyms
WEAK
absent without leave absenteeism hooky secret departure truancy unannounced departure
NOUN
hooky
Synonyms
STRONG
absenteeism nonappearance nonattendance truancy vacancy
WEAK
French leave truantry
NOUN
truancy
Synonyms
STRONG
cut cutting hooky
WEAK
absent without leave skipping truantry

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Soup is the obvious recommendation for days when appetite has gone AWOL, but two in particular stand out as personal MVPs: the “tiny everything” pastina and rotisserie chicken congee.

From Salon • Jan. 29, 2026

Videos abound of Roombas terrorizing pets, making epic messes and going AWOL.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026

The Church's own published list of accused clergy marks his case as "not yet resolved" with no final determination of guilt or innocence, noting simply that he is "AWOL" - absent without leave.

From BBC • May 6, 2025

Two hours later, around midnight, his commander responded: “I’m reporting you as AWOL, unauthorized abandonment of the unit. It was nice fighting together.”

From Seattle Times • Nov. 25, 2023

I’m worried there’s some law about reporting homeschooled kids when they go AWOL.

From "Every Day" by David Levithan