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

But the real test of intismeran will be how well the vaccine keeps cancer at bay over time.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026

Buffett has heard whispers about the sustainability of Berkshire’s structure, and his son’s appointment is in part an act to keep them at bay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

Throughout the final, faced with a composed Rybakina who put together an outstanding performance, Sabalenka could not keep her frustrations at bay.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

While regular police and military patrols now keep the zama zamas at bay, the community lives with the damage, said 63-year-old resident Sarah Rakgwanhla.

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

We burst out in the loud laughter we'd kept at bay since Mami exited.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

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Related Words

• captured
• cornered

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