stayed 1 of 2

past tense of stay
1
2
3
as in waited
to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something we'll stay for a while longer and see if anyone shows up

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

stayed

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of stay
as in sustained
to hold up or serve as a foundation for beams being used to stay the bridge while it is undergoing repairs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stayed
Verb
In 2017, Tiffany, Sooyoung and Seohyun declined to renew with SM Entertainment while the other five members stayed, with SM issuing a statement that group activities would continue regardless. Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 The two birds met at six weeks old and stayed together their entire lives. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026 With a deal elusive, the situation in the Middle East stayed volatile on Sunday. Sara Gharaibeh, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026 Well, in 2017 its legislators enacted fiscal guardrails and stayed within them. Elona Vaisnys, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026 All nine bodies were airlifted to Frog Lake Huts, the backcountry lodging the group stayed at for two nights before the avalanche. Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2026 The temperature stayed close to 30 C (86 F) throughout the game and the Wallabies were forced to scramble after Amatosero was red-carded in the 32nd minute for a dangerous cleanout on Warner Dearns. ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026 The actor has stayed busy with a number of projects since that time, both as a writer and an actor. Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026 And that rate stayed above 1 out of every 1,000 for the next two seasons, CDC data shows. Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stayed
Verb
  • Stokesberry said the skies have remained free of uncrewed aircraft since Monday, which has allowed fire crews to attack from above and below.
    Morgan Chesky, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2026
  • By age 85, only 7% of the adults with three risk factors remained dementia-free, compared with 35% of those with no risk factors.
    Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • During the video, a person wearing a gorilla suit walked directly through the scene, stopped, beat their chest, and walked away.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Towa might not share her girlfriend’s passion for musicals, but that hasn’t stopped Rapp from dragging her to them anyway.
    Hannah Malach, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Workers have registered their numbers to get paid through mobile money transactions, signed attendance sheets and waited for payment notifications, but only some were eventually paid.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The three sat inside their cars, out of the hot August gloom, and waited.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The Athletic visited The Cardinal last week, and the build-out for the event — including grandstands and other infrastructure — had not yet begun, which would be highly unusual for a golf tournament less than a month out.
    Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Decades after artists like Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau visited the town, in 1953, John Steinbeck wrote an ode to Positano for an 1953 issue of Harper’s Bazaar.
    Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Pointing to leetcode interviews, sustained high salaries and shelves of dense technical books as evidence the craft demanded scarce skill long before AI arrived.
    Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Along with this year’s bone stress reaction, Mayer sustained a right wrist sprain last July that ultimately ended his season.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Zhejiang raised its coastal typhoon alert to its highest level and halted port operations.
    Reuters, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Canada halted production of its one-cent coin in 2012 and distribution in 2013 after a short transition period, while existing pennies remain legal tender.
    Brian Delp, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Trump carried Wisconsin in 2016, lost it in 2020 and then won it again in 2024.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Each would be carried by more than 1,000 newspapers (some, such as the Tribune for a time, carried both) and eventually each claimed 90 million daily readers worldwide.
    Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Despite grants, community support and a pause on rent, one family’s grocery store opening has been stalled by construction and city inspections, fueling fears that the project isn’t being taken seriously.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Woods said Spotify recently stalled at its 200-day moving average after a nice rally the past few weeks.
    Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Stayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stayed. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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