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

"This awoke not just Michoacan, but all of Mexico," she told AFP while surrounded by bodyguards to keep would-be assassins at bay.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

The Federal Reserve has two main jobs: to keep unemployment low and inflation at bay.

From MarketWatch • May 10, 2026

A storage increase reported yesterday helps to keep strong rallies at bay.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

It wasn’t a cure, exactly, but ceaselessly applied, it was keeping the effects of greening at bay for a few months at a time.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

It’s the only thing keeping her total and desperate loneliness at bay.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

Related Words

• captured
• cornered