been awhile

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "been awhile" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is commonly used in casual conversations and informal writing to indicate that a certain amount of time has passed since something happened. Example: "I haven't seen you in forever, it's been awhile since we caught up."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

General Conversation

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"It's definitely been awhile.

The New York Times - Sports

"It's been awhile, people.

The Guardian - Music

"Yeah, it's been awhile".

The New York Times - Sports

"It's been awhile, 21 months.

The New York Times - Sports

"It's been awhile," Rubin said.

The New York Times - Sports

"I love it, but it's been awhile since I've posted.

The New York Times - Sports

"It's been awhile since we've been in victory lane".

The New York Times - Sports

"It's been awhile since I pitched like that," Pelfrey said.

The New York Times - Sports

It's been awhile since the Braves had a true lead-off hitter (since Rafael Furcal, anyway).

The New York Times

"It's been awhile since we've gotten in a good firefight," he said.

The New York Times

It has been awhile since anyone associated with the Knicks could say that with any honesty.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "been awhile" in informal settings to acknowledge the passage of time since a previous event or interaction. It's suitable for casual conversation and friendly correspondence.

Common error

Avoid using "awhile" as two words. "Awhile" is an adverb meaning 'for a short time', while "a while" is a noun phrase consisting of the indefinite article 'a' and the noun 'while'. Ensure you use "been a while" (two words) when indicating the passage of time.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "been awhile" serves as an elliptical statement, primarily functioning as an adverbial phrase. It modifies an implied verb, indicating the passage of time since a previous event or interaction. This is supported by Ludwig and its numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Sports

27%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

7%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "been awhile" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, especially in informal settings, to acknowledge that time has passed since a prior event. According to Ludwig, it functions as an adverbial phrase, commonly seen in news, media, and sports contexts. While perfectly acceptable in casual conversation, it's advisable to use the full form, “it has been a while”, in more formal writing. Remember to distinguish “awhile” (an adverb) from “a while” (a noun phrase) to avoid common errors. Alternatives like "it's been a long time" or "it has been some time" can be used for a more formal tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it's been a long time

A more emphatic way of saying that much time has passed.

it's been a while since

Adds specificity by indicating what event hasn't occurred recently.

it's been quite some time

Similar to "it has been some time" but with slightly more emphasis.

it has been some time

A slightly more formal way of saying "been awhile".

a long time has passed

Emphasizes the length of the intervening period.

it's been ages

Implies a considerably long period of time.

it's been a minute

An informal way to say it's been some time, but not necessarily a very long time.

it's been a spell

A colloquial way to express that some time has passed.

it feels like forever

Expresses the feeling that a very long time has passed, possibly longer than it actually has.

it's been donkey's years

A British English idiom indicating a very long time.

FAQs

How can I use "been awhile" in a sentence?

You can use "been awhile" to indicate that a significant amount of time has passed since something happened. For example, you might say, "It's "been awhile" since we last spoke" or "It's "been awhile" since I've been to the gym".

What can I say instead of "been awhile"?

You can use alternatives like "it's been a long time", "it has been some time", or "it's been ages" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "been awhile" or "been a while"?

"Been awhile" is correct in informal contexts as a shortened form of "it has been awhile" or "it's been awhile". In more formal writing, it's preferable to use the full form, "it's been a while".

What's the difference between "been awhile" and "for awhile"?

"Been awhile" indicates that a period of time has passed since something occurred, while "for awhile" means 'for a short time'. They are used in different contexts and cannot be interchanged.