stay away

verb

stayed away; staying away; stays away
: to not go near someone or something : avoid
I know I shouldn't go there, but it's hard to stay away.
usually + from
Stay away from my girlfriend!
He usually stays away from large crowds.
I try to stay away from caffeine.

Examples of stay away in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For as long as Ariana Grande‘s body has been the source of public scrutiny, the mainstream media has generally stayed away from the issue. Martha Ross, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026 The men’s Tour was disrupted by wildfires last month, resulting in the route of both the third stage and the final stage being amended and cut short and fans being asked to stay away from the mountainous finish on stage 3. Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Officials also urged people to stay away from lakes, rivers and other waterways where firefighting aircraft are collecting water to battle the blazes. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026 And the animals have to stay away from fountains and off the escalators. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for stay away

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stay away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stay%20away. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!