AWOL

1 of 2

adjective or adverb

sometimes not capitalized
: absent without leave
broadly : absent often without notice or permission
the place looked as if its caretaker had been AWOL for some time Daniel Ford

AWOL

2 of 2

noun

sometimes not capitalized
: a person who is AWOL

Examples of AWOL in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
While the star witness was AWOL, the hearing moved on, offering stunning and horrifying testimony from two Massachusetts nurses and Louisiana state leaders who experienced the conditions at Steward's hospitals, which number over 30 across eight states. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 12 Sep. 2024 Lucky for them, a local gangster (Michael Stuhlbarg, hammy) needs two guys to pull a job last-minute, since his regular guys are AWOL. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2024 Among her allegations: an AWOL Marine had sodomized the family dog. Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2024 Obviously, this game of hot potato with human beings helps no one and Gov. Hochul has been AWOL, leaving it up to localities like NYC. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for AWOL 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'AWOL.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective or adverb

absent without leave

First Known Use

Adjective Or Adverb

1891, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1915, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of AWOL was in 1891

Dictionary Entries Near AWOL

Cite this Entry

“AWOL.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/AWOL. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

AWOL

noun
ˈā-ˌwȯl,
ˌā-ˌdəb-əl-yu̇-ˌō-ˈel
: a person who is absent without permission
AWOL adverb or adjective
Etymology

Noun

absent without leave

Legal Definition

AWOL

abbreviation
ˈā-ˌwȯl, ˈā-ˌdə-bəl-ˌyü-ˌō-ˈel
absent without leave
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