1 A2 neutral
To avoid going near a place, person, or thing
"The police told residents to stay away from the flooded area."
stay away
A2 neutral intransitive
To not go near a place or person; to keep one's distance
In plain English
To not go to a place or not be near a person
What does "stay away" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To not attend or not return to a place
"She stayed away from the reunion because she was nervous about seeing her ex."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To stay (remain) away from something — maintaining physical distance
Actually means
To not go to a place or not be near a person
Usage tip
Very common in everyday English. Can be used as a command (Stay away from him!) or a description (She stayed away from the party). Often followed by 'from' plus the person or place to be avoided.
Words that pair with "stay away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
from danger trouble someone drugs school area
How to conjugate "stay away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
stay away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
stays away
he/she/it
Past simple
stayed away
yesterday
Past participle
stayed away
have + pp
-ing form
staying away
continuous
Hear "stay away" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "stay away" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "stay away"
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Keep exploring
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