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
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.
People told me to stay away from downtown. Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026 Ships and helicopters raced to the impact area, but had to stay away for some time. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026 Findlay was ordered to stay away from the police station and have no contact with anyone there. Peter D'oench, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026 There, the group stays away from discussing cancer rates or birth defects, instead showing slides of pregnant, smiling women sitting next to containers of nuclear waste. Zak Podmore, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 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 29 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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