AWOL Synonyms: 16 Similar and Opposite Words

AWOL

adjective

Definition of AWOL

as in missing

not present at a mandatory time and place The soldier was AWOL for more than a week. "Where's Ben?" "I'm not sure—he's been AWOL all day."

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for AWOL

Adjective

Sand-like granules collecting in gutters, curling or missing shingles, brittle or cracking shingles, sagging sections and indoor leaks or ceiling stains are the standard indicators that a roof is failing.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
During a major transformation, when clarity is missing, everything slows down, teams resist and everything becomes harder.

— Tracy Nolan, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of missing

Adjective

A lot of kids’ parents don’t have time to sign out their kids, so they would be counted absent instead of truant, Hampton said.

— Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
In a late January social media post, district officials said any student participating in a walkout would be considered truant and given an unexcused absence.

— Emily Donaldson, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Feb. 2026

Definition of truant

Adjective

The usual bleary nausea of such early rises is absent, shooed away by sobriety, exercises, and fruits and vegetables.

— CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
And most experts don’t think there will be much relief for homebuyers in the next year or so, absent some big changes, such as the war in Iran ending or oil prices dramatically falling.

— Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of absent

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awoken

AWOL

awry

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“AWOL.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/AWOL. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of AWOL

adjective

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Synonyms of AWOL

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

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Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

discreet

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Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

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