stay

1 of 6

noun (1)

1
: a large strong rope usually of wire used to support a mast
2

stay

2 of 6

verb (1)

stayed; staying; stays

transitive verb

1
: to secure upright with or as if with stays
2
: to incline (a mast) forward, aft, or to one side by the stays

intransitive verb

: to go about : tack

stay

3 of 6

verb (2)

stayed ˈstād How to pronounce stay (audio) also staid ˈstād How to pronounce stay (audio) ; staying

intransitive verb

1
: to stop going forward : pause
2
: to stop doing something : cease
3
: to continue in a place or condition : remain
stayed up all night
went for a short vacation but stayed on for weeks
stay put till I come back
4
: to stand firm
5
: to take up residence : lodge
6
: to keep even in a contest or rivalry
stay with the leaders
7
: to call a poker bet without raising
8
obsolete : to be in waiting or attendance

transitive verb

1
: to wait for : await
2
: to stick or remain with (a race, a trial of endurance, etc.) to the end
usually used in the phrase stay the course
3
: to remain during
stayed the whole time
4
a
: to stop or delay the proceeding or advance of by or as if by interposing an obstacle : halt
b
: to check the course of (something, such as a disease)
c
: allay, pacify
stayed tempers
d
: to quiet the hunger of temporarily

stay

4 of 6

noun (2)

1
a
: the action of halting : the state of being stopped
b
: a stopping or suspension of procedure or execution by judicial or executive order
2
obsolete : self-control, moderation
3
: a residence or sojourn in a place
4
: capacity for endurance

stay

5 of 6

noun (3)

1
: one that serves as a prop : support
2
: a thin firm strip (as of plastic) used for stiffening a garment or part (such as a shirt collar)
3
: a corset stiffened with bones
usually used in plural

stay

6 of 6

verb (3)

stayed; staying; stays

transitive verb

1
: to provide physical or moral support for : sustain
2
: to fix on something as a foundation
Choose the Right Synonym for stay

defer, postpone, suspend, stay mean to delay an action or proceeding.

defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

deferred buying a car until spring

postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.

the game is postponed until Saturday

suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied.

business will be suspended while repairs are underway

stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.

the governor stayed the execution

Examples of stay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Now, apart from the dwindling hotel population, there are 223 people staying at a city respite center, also on New York Avenue, that seeks to limit stays to about three days unless a family is in dire need. Antonio Olivo, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Other pricey experiences included in the bag are a seven-night stay at the California spa Golden Door, worth $24,000, a $25,000 live show from mentalist Carl Christman, and a $10,000 microneedling treatment from Cynosure. Jasmine Li, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2024 The goal is to limit stays to 30 days, though that limit can be extended to 120. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024 Gilbert followed at sixth, with a night’s stay at an Airbnb costing $329 on average, equating to 40.9% of residents' average income per week. Marcus Reichley, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 The stay can only be booked through Airbnb from 10 a.m. GMT on March 12. Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 Those who would like to take their stay a step further can add IV therapy and energy healing sessions. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2024 There are some 35,000 New York City apartments listed on Airbnb for stays of 30 nights or more, according to AirDNA, a short-term rental intelligence firm, which are legal and do not require the short-term rental licenses. Amanda Hoover, WIRED, 5 Mar. 2024 The offer is valid for travel from March 1-September 2, 2024, two night stay required. Michael Goldstein, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
Still, February's acceleration in producer prices suggested that inflation could stay elevated into the spring. Christopher Rugaber, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 The pants are a pull-on overall/bib style with adjustable shoulder straps, elastic waist and hem, and adjustable boot stirrups, which ensure the pant’s legs stay tucked in place. Maya Polton, Parents, 14 Mar. 2024 Come early to pop into the Finnish sauna or 15-meter-long pool and stay cozy for as long as possible ensconced in one of the hanging chairs. Alia Akkam, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2024 Many visiting athletes or performers who come to D.C. for Capital One Arena stay at the Four Seasons in Georgetown, which often charges more than $1,000 a night. Jonathan O'Connell, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 Kaiser Permanente, a major employer, sent a memo to its downtown workers urging them to stay inside for lunch due to rising daytime street robberies. James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Once Joe relinquished his duties as manager, Peck persuaded the actor’s mother to let Bell stay at his house and drive the teen star to auditions. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 13 Mar. 2024 And staying organized presents specific challenges for people who are neurodivergent. Annie Midori Atherton, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024 Garcia, 30, a customer service representative from Sacramento, was staying at a hotel in Truckee and left with two colleagues in her all-wheel-drive Jeep Renegade early in the morning for an appointment just minutes away in downtown. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English stæg; akin to Old Norse stag stay

Verb (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French estei-, estai-, stem of ester to stand, stay, from Latin stare — more at stand

Noun (3)

Middle English, from Middle French estaie, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch stake pole, Middle Low German stak post, stake pole — more at stake

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1627, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (3)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (3)

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stay was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near stay

Cite this Entry

“Stay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stay. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stay

1 of 6 noun
: a strong rope or wire used to steady or brace something (as a mast)

stay

2 of 6 verb
: to fasten (as a smokestack) with stays

stay

3 of 6 verb
1
: to stop going forward : pause
2
: to continue in a place or condition : remain
stayed at home
3
: to stand firm
4
: to take up residence : lodge
stayed in a hotel
5
6
: to last out (as a race)
7
: check entry 2 sense 2, halt
stay an execution

stay

4 of 6 noun
1
: the action of halting : the state of being stopped
2
: a stopping of a procedure by court or executive order
3
: a residence or visit in a place

stay

5 of 6 noun
1
: something that serves as a prop : support
2
: a thin firm strip (as of plastic) used for stiffening a garment (as a corset) or part (as a shirt collar)

stay

6 of 6 verb
: to provide support for
Etymology

Noun

Old English stæg "a strong rope used to steady or support something"

Verb

Middle English stayen "to stop going forward," from early French ester "to stand, stay," from Latin stare "to stand"

Noun

from early French estaie "a support, prop"; of Germanic origin

Legal Definition

stay

1 of 2 transitive verb
stayed; staying
: to temporarily suspend or prevent by judicial or executive order
may not grant an injunction to stay proceedings in a State courtU.S. Code

stay

2 of 2 noun
: a temporary suspension or injunction of an action or process by a usually discretionary judicial or executive order
a stay of execution of the judgment
stay of a lower court's judgment pending certiorariW. J. Brennan, Jr.
see also automatic stay compare cease-and-desist order at order sense 3b, mandamus, supersedeas

More from Merriam-Webster on stay

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