stay away

phrasal 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
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The court also ordered him to stay away from a witness. Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026 Officials have warned residents to stay away from areas that could be prone to mudslides. ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026 Along with being barred from owning any animals, Jeffes was ordered to stay away from the person who reported him. Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026 The State Department advises travelers in those areas to seek shelter, avoid unnecessary movement and stay away from areas with law enforcement activity; monitor local news for updates; follow local authorities’ guidance; and keep loved ones up to date on their status. Eve Chen, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stay away

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Cite this Entry

“Stay away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stay%20away. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.

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