Getaway is 1.) a place to enjoy a vacation, somewhere to relax and rejuvenate 2.) an escape, especially after committing a crime. When getaway is written as one word, it is used as a noun or adjective. It may also be hyphenated, as in get-away, but this spelling of the word seems to be falling out of favor.
Get away means 1.) to go someplace to enjoy a vacation, to go somewhere to relax and rejuvenate 2.) to escape, especially after committing a crime. When get away is written as two words, it is a verb phrase. Related terms are gets away, got away, getting away.
Examples
While the Mexican seaside town south of touristy Cancun might masquerade as the perfect beach getaway, not even the deep turquoise water and endless white beaches can hide the fact that it’s become a tourist trap. (The New York POst)
Bare-faced and beautiful, Emily took to Instagram to share some vacation photos from her current island getaway. (Sports Illustrated)
City breaks will be the most popular getaway for UK holidaymakers in 2016, according to a survey. (The Guardian)
A woman who served as the getaway driver in 13 commercial robberies in Southern Nevada was sentenced Tuesday to 121 years in federal prison. (The Las Vegas Review-Journal)The man who allegedly drove the get-away vehicle was charged with murder for his role in the New Year’s Day shooting in Charleston. (The Charleston Gazette-Mail)
By now we have at least three murders to get away with, in the main plot (i.e. not counting the murders in the cases Prof. Keating argues as a defense attorney). (Haaretz)
The Bears better hope not because Gase forever would be known as the one who got away after being the Bears’ offensive coordinator during the 2015 season. (The Chicago Daily Herald)