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 And stay away from tight clothing, which can block airflow. —

Carmel Wroth, NPR, 6 June 2024 He was also ordered to complete 10 years probation and stay away from the victim, according to Miami Herald reporter Grethel Aguila’s reporting. —

Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 31 May 2024 The surrounding area has been evacuated once again, and people are being advised to stay away. —

Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 May 2024 Both Aiyuk and Jennings had stayed away from the 49ers’ voluntary offseason program ahead of the potential final year of their respective contracts. —

Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 29 May 2024 But in general, staying away from soda altogether is always a healthier choice. —

Korin Miller, Health, 14 May 2024 No one is prescribing a one-size-fits-all engagement for them, and Biden has been happy to stay away when necessary. —

Philip Elliott, TIME, 24 May 2024 Children and adolescents may be aware of the connotations or meanings of names that the family may want to stay away from. —

Genevieve Shaw Brown, Parents, 23 May 2024 Luzzi pleaded not guilty and is out of custody on $100,000 bail, but has been ordered by a judge to stay away from the venue, court records show. —

Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 18 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stay away.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.