walk away
WAWK uh-WAY
/wɔːk əˈweɪ/
To leave a difficult situation or relationship rather than trying to deal with it.
Often implies a conscious, sometimes difficult decision to abandon something that is no longer healthy or productive.
The story behind the word. The verb 'walk' comes from Old English 'wealcan', meaning to roll or toss. Combined with 'away', it evolved from literal movement to the figurative act of withdrawing support or presence from a situation.
Word relationships
- abandon: Abandon is more formal and often implies leaving something in a helpless state.
- quit: Quit focuses on stopping an action, whereas walk away focuses on the act of leaving the scene.
- stay: Stay is the simple act of remaining in place.
- confront: Confront implies facing the problem head-on rather than leaving it.
Commonly confused with
- run away: Run away implies fear or cowardice; walk away implies a deliberate, often empowered choice.
Word family
- walk-away (noun): An easy victory (informal).
Collocations
- walk away from a deal
- walk away from a marriage
- just walk away
Idioms & expressions
- walk away scot-free
Example sentences
- "You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run." A famous song lyric about knowing when to quit.
- "If the terms of the contract don't meet your requirements, you must be prepared to walk away." Professional advice regarding bad deals.
Memory hook
Imagine yourself walking calmly away from an explosion in a movie—you are choosing to leave the chaos behind. Walk away to save the day.
When not to use
Avoid using this for simply leaving a room; it usually implies leaving a significant situation or responsibility.
Fun facts
- In business negotiations, the 'walk-away price' is the absolute limit where a buyer will stop negotiating and leave.
Explore more words
forsake, withdraw, disengagement, discontinue, discard, take a break
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