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
In a confessional interview, a female participant cringes while reacting to the conditions of their stay. Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 20 Sep. 2023 Travelers can also book specialty spa and barber services during their stay. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2023 Their stay was extended from six months to a year when the capsule developed a coolant leak while parked at the station. Bradford Betz, Fox News, 17 Sep. 2023 Vande Hei’s stay was also longer than originally intended—when Russia sent two people to the ISS to film a movie, the additional space station traffic delayed Vande Hei’s departure, writes CNN. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Sep. 2023 Burn patients typically spend eight days in hospitals, a stay that exceeds $24,000 in costs, according to the company. Paul O'Donnell, Dallas News, 12 Sep. 2023 They may also be offered an overnight stay at the golf club, according to one of the people familiar with the planning. Stephanie Lai, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2023 The company revealed its 2025 lineup with three trips, including stays at two of its most famous on-screen destinations. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 13 Sep. 2023 During Cathy’s hospital stay, doctors conducted COVID-19 and RSV tests, both of which yielded negative results. Sandra Rose Salathe, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2023
Verb
Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow night: Skies may stay rather cloudy, although some peeks of stars seem a good bet. Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 23 Sep. 2023 But others stayed, waiting for months in Dallas for the Kennedys to return. Donie O'Sullivan, CNN, 23 Sep. 2023 Then In 2018, Jennifer Aniston stayed at the property while filming her comedy Murder Mystery. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 23 Sep. 2023 The tradition started in the 1970s — shopkeepers would stay open later in the evening so locals wouldn't have to travel to Cape Cod to buy gifts. Katrina Brown Hunt, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2023 Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg via Getty Images Many parks stayed open during a shutdown in 2018 and 2019, but with fewer visitor services, such as trash collection and access to restrooms. Melissa Quinn, Kathryn Watson, Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 22 Sep. 2023 Seduced by the easy access to nature and relative affordability, many return for longer stays or even for good. Jessica Battilana Richard Pedaline, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2023 The couple — who is not married and had previously vowed to stay celibate out of respect of Mary’s grandparents — broke tradition by trying for a baby. Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 19 Sep. 2023 Read full article Get The Big To-Do Your guide to staying entertained, from live shows and outdoor fun to the newest in museums, movies, TV, books, dining, and more. Chris Vognar, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Sep. 2023 See More

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 2 Oct. 2023.

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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