stay behind

idiom

: to not leave at the present time
You can go on ahead. I'll stay behind to help clean up.

Examples of stay behind 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.
National Guard soldiers would stay behind with some federal assistance, but Border Patrol agents and ICE moved on to Chicago. Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2025 Richard tells the ship’s doctor to stay behind to find Lo … and to inject her with a lethal dose of poison. Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025 But Abbie and Rory are shocked when Leila makes the decision to stay behind. Adrianne Webster, Glamour, 10 Oct. 2025 Meanwhile, Adebayo and Economos stay behind at the Smith family compound with no clear sense of what to do, so Adebayo decides to explore the neighborhood. Adam B. Vary, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stay behind

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Cite this Entry

“Stay behind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stay%20behind. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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