at bay

Idioms  

1. Cornered, in distress, as in Angry bystanders chased the thief into an alley and held him at bay until the police arrived. This idiom originally came from hunting, where it describes an animal that has been driven back and now faces pursuing hounds. Its use for other situations dates from the late 1500s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

at bay

She subsequently underwent brain surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy in an effort to keep the cancer at bay.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Ghana spent large periods sitting in a defensive shape and ultimately managed to keep Tuchel's side at bay.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

That’s because, for decades, O’Connor and Kennedy kept it at bay.

From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026

ZUG, Switzerland—This Alpine nation has long relied on its geography to keep the world at bay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

For some reason, we were satisfied this would keep any immediate danger at bay.

From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro

Related Words

• captured
• cornered