1.
to put something back in its place
“Put away your books.”
“She put the dishes away.”
“Put it away, please.”
Synonyms: to tidy up, to store
Phrasal verb
What does put away mean?
Meaning: to put something back in its place
B1
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Quick answer
Put away = to put something back in its place (a cupboard, a drawer, a bag). Put away your toys = put your toys where they belong. The idea is that you can't see them any more. It is separable.
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to save money for later
common“I put some money away each month.”
Synonyms: to save, to set aside
Word order
Separable
The object can go between the verb and the particle. With a pronoun (it, them), it always goes between.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- put away
- Past Simple:
- put away
- Past participle:
- put away
- -ing form:
- putting away
Common mistakes to avoid
Put away is not put back
Put away = to put something in its storage place (often out of sight). Put back = to return something to the place where you found it. Put away your clothes (in the wardrobe) / Put the book back (on the shelf where it was).
With a pronoun: always in the middle
Put it away ✓ / Put away it ❌. A pronoun (it, them) always goes between put and away.
Practice quiz
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Related pages: put away
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What's next?
Put away: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
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For teachersPut away: a ready-to-use lesson sequence
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English contestPut away: often tested in the English contest
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Frequently asked questions
What does put away mean?+
Put away = (1) to put something back in its place; (2) to save money. Put away your phone = put your phone in your bag or pocket, where nobody can see it.
Is put away separable?+
Yes. With a noun: put away the toys / put the toys away. With a pronoun: put them away ✓.
What is the difference between put away, put back and tidy up?+
Put away = to put something in its usual place, often out of sight. Put back = to return something to the place where you took it from. Tidy up = to make a whole room clean and neat. Tidy up your room (the whole room) / Put away your books (one thing).
How do you use put away for money?+
Say put money away or put away money. I put away €50 a month = I save €50 every month. This is meaning 2: to keep money for later.
What is the past simple of put away?+
Put away (the same). Put is irregular but never changes: put / put / put. I put away my books yesterday.
Related phrasal verbs
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/put-away
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.