stay
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
to spend some time in a place, in a situation, with a person or group, etc..
He stayed in the army for ten years.
-
to continue to be as specified, as to condition or state.
to stay clean.
-
to hold out or endure, as in a contest or task (followed by with orat ).
Please stay with the project as long as you can.
-
to keep up, as with a competitor (followed bywith ).
-
Poker. to continue in a hand by matching an ante, bet, or raise.
-
to stop or halt.
-
to pause or wait, as for a moment, before proceeding or continuing; linger or tarry.
-
Archaic. to cease or desist.
-
Archaic. to stand firm.
verb (used with object)
-
to stop or halt.
-
to hold back, detain, or restrain, as from going further.
-
to suspend or delay (actions, proceedings, etc.).
-
to appease or satisfy temporarily the cravings of (the stomach, appetite, etc.).
-
to remain through or during (a period of time).
We stayed two days in San Francisco.
-
to remain to the end of; remain beyond (usually followed byout ).
-
Archaic. to await.
noun
-
the act of stopping or being stopped.
-
a stop, halt, or pause; a standstill.
-
a sojourn or temporary residence.
a week's stay in Miami.
-
Law. a stoppage or arrest of action; suspension of a judicial proceeding.
The governor granted a stay of execution.
-
Informal. staying power; endurance.
idioms
noun
-
a flat strip of steel, plastic, etc., used especially for stiffening corsets, collars, etc.
-
a long rod running between opposite walls, heads or sides of a furnace, boiler, tank, or the like, to strengthen them against internal pressures.
-
Chiefly British. stays, a corset.
verb (used with object)
-
to support, prop, or hold up (sometimes followed byup ).
-
to sustain or strengthen mentally or spiritually.
-
to rest on (something, as a foundation or base) for support.
-
to cause something to become fixed or to rest on (a support, foundation, base, etc.)
noun
verb (used with object)
-
to support or secure with a stay or stays.
to stay a mast.
-
to put (a ship) on the other tack.
verb (used without object)
idioms
verb
-
(intr) to continue or remain in a certain place, position, etc
to stay outside
-
(copula) to continue to be; remain
to stay awake
-
to reside temporarily, esp as a guest
to stay at a hotel
-
(tr) to remain for a specified period
to stay the weekend
-
(intr) to reside permanently or habitually; live
-
archaic to stop or cause to stop
-
(intr) to wait, pause, or tarry
-
(tr) to delay or hinder
-
(tr)
-
to discontinue or suspend (a judicial proceeding)
-
to hold in abeyance or restrain from enforcing (an order, decree, etc)
-
-
to endure (something testing or difficult, such as a race)
a horse that stays the course
-
to keep pace (with a competitor in a race, etc)
-
(intr) poker to raise one's stakes enough to stay in a round
-
(tr) to hold back or restrain
to stay one's anger
-
(tr) to satisfy or appease (an appetite, etc) temporarily
-
archaic (tr) to quell or suppress
-
archaic (intr) to stand firm
-
See put
noun
-
the act of staying or sojourning in a place or the period during which one stays
-
the act of stopping or restraining or state of being stopped, etc
-
the suspension of a judicial proceeding, etc
stay of execution
noun
-
anything that supports or steadies, such as a prop or buttress
-
a thin strip of metal, plastic, bone, etc, used to stiffen corsets, etc
verb
-
(often foll by up) to prop or hold
-
(often foll by up) to comfort or sustain
-
to cause to rely or depend
noun
Etymology
Origin of stay1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English staien, from Anglo-French estaier, Old French ester, from Latin stāre “to stand, stand up, be standing, stand in attendance”; see origin at stand
Origin of stay2
First recorded in 1505–15; apparently same as stay 3 (compare Old French estayer “to hold in place, support”), or perhaps derivative of Middle English steye “rope to steady a mast”; stay 3
Origin of stay3
First recorded before 1150; Middle English stai, stey(e), Old English stæg; cognate with German Stag, Dutch stag, Old Norse stag
Explanation
To stay is to remain or wait in the same place. When you tell your dog to stay, you expect her to keep sitting until you call her over. You can stay in the short term, like when you stay in your seat even though you're antsy, or in the long term, like when you decide to stay in Missouri after you graduate from college. You can also stay calm or stay out of trouble. Legally, to stay is to delay or suspend proceedings, like when a judge stays a decision. A less-common meaning of stay is "a support," from the Middle French estaie, "wood used as a support."
Vocabulary lists containing stay
"The Flea" by John Donne
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Academic Vocabulary and Vocabulary from Readings 1, Unit 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
United States v. Nixon (1974), List 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Lounges have helped persuade travelers to stay within an airline’s loyalty program and to sign up for credit cards that carry hefty fees.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Britain has not seen the level of opposition now facing US projects, McDonald said, but he cautioned against assuming it would stay that way, citing British resistance to hydrogen projects and fracking.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
“Given the uncertainty with this pattern, stay tuned,” the weather service office in Oxnard said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Reports suggest he will stay in the Saudi league and is close to joining Al-Shabab.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
A knock, Gingersnipes knew, that would not stay long if she did not move quickly.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
It would be hard to find a more L.A. scene than the one playing out downtown in the normally staid Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez United States Courthouse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Their devotion to communism as unshakable as ever, both worked for the Soviet government—though in staid desk jobs rather than undercover operations—before dying within a month of each other in 1964.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Corpse flowers are showstoppers in the staid world of conservatories and botanic gardens.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Preparations for the event have been conducted in the utmost secrecy, with top reporters from the usually staid New York Times forced to sleuth through local hotels for hints of the guest list.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
RON enters on a staircase, his side parting now super-aggressive, his robes just a little bit too short, his clothes now spectacularly staid.
From "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. Rowling
They proliferated in recent years as companies stayed private for longer and individual investors wanted to profit from their ballooning valuations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
Graham Staines' widow, Gladys, who stayed on in India with her daughter Esther until July 2004, said she had "forgiven" Dara Singh in the Christian spirit.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Rahmani said in his opinion, Davis would "go down as one of the world's dumbest criminals", who likely would have never have faced charges if he had stayed silent.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
"It cannot ensure the two greatest needs of the country: durable peace and stability, and democratic governance," said Merera Gudina, chairman of the Caucus of Opposition Parties, which stayed away from the dialogue.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
If the store stayed closed until Ba came home, we’d fall further into the hole.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
The charismatic, 65-year-old megastar -- a frequent red carpet guest at the world's oldest film festival -- will provide a shot of A-lister adrenaline despite Hollywood studios mostly staying away this year.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
But Wimbledon's clear rules mean players know where they stand and spectators are sure they can travel home by public transport and won't be staying on Centre Court until the early hours.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
This recent rally could have more staying power, some experts believe.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 30, 2026
Santigold’s eclectic, genre-defying sound may be a hallmark of the “indie sleaze” era, but her standout midday Daisy Chain set proved she has plenty of staying power in 2026.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
“I’m staying with Davis. She’s going to be my new best friend.”
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
