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Go awol Meaning in English

expression

ˈɡoʊ/ /ˈeɪˌwɔɫ
GOH AY-wawl
ɡˈəʊ/ /ˈeɪwɒl
guh-OH AY-wol

Definition

To leave a place or situation suddenly and without permission, often without telling anyone; originally a military term, but now used informally in everyday life.

Usage & Nuances

'Go AWOL' is informal and often used humorously or critically. Originally stood for 'Absent Without Official Leave' in the military. Common in phrases like 'He went AWOL from work.' Avoid in very formal writing. Used when someone disappears or stops communicating unexpectedly.

Spanish: desaparecer sin avisar - ausentarse sin permisoPortuguese (BR): sumir sem avisar - se ausentar sem permissãoPortuguese (PT): desaparecer sem avisar - ausentar-se sem permissãoChinese (Simplified): 擅自离岗 - 失联Chinese (Traditional): 擅自離崗 - 失聯Hindi: बिना अनुमति गायब होनाArabic: التغيب دون إذن - الاختفاء بدون إشعارBengali: আচানক-উধাও হয়ে যাওয়া - বিনা অনুমতিতে গায়েব হয়ে যাওয়াRussian: уйти в самоволку - внезапно исчезнуть (разг.)Japanese: 無断でいなくなる - 勝手に姿を消すVietnamese: biến mất không báo trước - tự ý bỏ điKorean: 무단이탈하다 - 연락 없이 사라지다Turkish: izinsiz ortadan kaybolmak - habersiz kaybolmakUrdu: بغیر اطلاع کے غائب ہونا - اچانک چلے جاناIndonesian: biến mất không lý do - tự ý rời đi

Example Sentences

He decided to go AWOL from class today.

basic

My cat has gone AWOL again; I can't find her anywhere.

basic

Someone has gone AWOL from their desk again.

basic

Sam just stopped replying to emails—he totally went AWOL last week.

natural

Our boss got angry when half the team went AWOL during the afternoon.

natural

If you go AWOL during the meeting, people will notice.

natural