stay behind

phrase

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stay behind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stay%20behind. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster