Awhile vs. A While: Differences Between Awhile and A While

The definition of “awhile” is "for a short time." It is a single-word adverb that modifies verbs. Rough synonyms include "briefly" and "temporarily."

The definition of “a while” is "a period of time." It is a noun phrase. Like all nouns, it can be modified by adjectives. For instance, "a little while" means a short period of time while "a long while" means a long period of time.

While they sound identical and are spelled nearly the same, “awhile” and “a while” do not have the same meaning and are different parts of speech. To understand when to use “a while” vs. “awhile,” focus on their grammatical function.

• Awhile: The word “awhile” is an adverb meaning “briefly or for a short period of time.” If you "ran awhile," it means you ran for a short time.
• A while: “A while” is a noun phrase that describes an unspecified amount of time. If it has been "a while since I've seen you," this means that some length of time has elapsed between meetings.

To help remember the difference between these words, remember that the one-word version, “awhile,” is an adverb. It acts upon another word. The two-word version, “a while,” is a noun. It contains the article “a” plus the main noun “while” and should only operate in a sentence as a noun.

In the English language, the word “awhile” functions adverbially. For instance, in the clause "go play awhile," the word provides an adverbial modification to the verb "play." If you are using it in a sentence where you could easily swap out “awhile” for “temporarily,” you are using this adverb correctly. For example, “I’m going to meditate awhile” vs. “I’m going to meditate temporarily.”

Under the rules of English grammar, use “a while” as a two-word expression to describe a certain period of time. "I spent a while in New York pursuing a career as an actor" implies a multi-month or multi-year period of time. "We waited a while for the train but it didn't come" suggests a much shorter interval.

If you are using it in a sentence where you could easily swap out “a while” for “a moment,” you are using this noun phrase correctly. For example, “It’s been a while since I’ve eaten there” vs. “It’s been a moment since I’ve eaten there.”

The word “while” can be used as a preposition to describe the relationship between two nouns. For instance, in the phrase "panting while running," the word describes the relationships between panting and running, both of which are gerunds. Per English grammar rules, you would only use the single word "while" in this instance. "A while" does not work as a two-word prepositional phrase.

Become a better writer with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including James Patterson, Neil Gaiman, Walter Mosley, Margaret Atwood, Joyce Carol Oates, Dan Brown, and more.