stay 1 of 4

verb (1)

Definition of staynext
1
as in to remain
to continue to be in a place for a significant amount of time let's stay inside this pavilion until it stops raining

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill stay the trial until this new evidence has been processed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to wait
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
as in to visit
to reside as a temporary guest let's stay at a quaint inn rather than at some generic motel

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stay

2 of 4

verb (2)

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

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stay

3 of 4

noun (1)

1
as in visit
a temporary residing as another's guest my mother-in-law is coming for a brief stay next week

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in cessation
the stopping of a process or activity we must work without stay if we are ever to reach our goal of equal rights for everyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stay

4 of 4

noun (2)

as in support
a structure that holds up or serves as a foundation for something else a free press is one of the principal stays of a democratic society

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word stay distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of stay are defer, postpone, and suspend. While all these words mean "to delay an action or proceeding," stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.

the governor stayed the execution

When might defer be a better fit than stay?

The words defer and stay are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

deferred buying a car until spring

When would postpone be a good substitute for stay?

The meanings of postpone and stay largely overlap; however, postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.

the game is postponed until Saturday

Where would suspend be a reasonable alternative to stay?

The words suspend and stay can be used in similar contexts, but suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied.

business will be suspended while repairs are underway

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 stay
Verb
Corporate earnings have also kept booming as well, helping stocks stay near record highs. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026 Consider going domestic this holiday season, embracing a chalet-style stay somewhere in Wisconsin, or seeing what a Midwestern town with a Dutch history has to offer. — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
During our stay, the work of Croatian artist Matej Vuković was on display, bringing pops of brightly colored clouds and unique shapes to the lush green landscape. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026 The hotel name, number of nights and any charge for a companion or extended stay. — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stay
  1. remain
  2. stop
  3. wait
  4. visit
  5. sustain
  6. cessation
  7. support
  8. halt
Verb
  • These remain part of its development strategy rather than a range of certified aircraft.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Even after the setback, young households remained wealthier than their counterparts were before the pandemic.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of remain
Verb
  • That has left many companies unable to stop the theft of American IP and made investment riskier.
    — Andrei Iancu, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Project Nessie was intended to stop retail price-matching practices from creating unsustainably low prices, the e-commerce giant said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • The wealth gap has political stakes, too That sense of waiting for an opportunity has electoral relevance.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Dahmen recommends waiting about a week after the frost before beginning to plant spring bulbs and getting a head start on next year's garden.
    — WCCO Staff, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of wait
Verb
  • The soldiers, aviation technicians with the Salvandoran army, were victims of a gang ambush on Sunday in the Santo area of Croix-des-Bouquets, east of Port-au-Prince, while on their way back to camp after visiting a local supermarket.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Harry and Meghan, who remain private citizens and not working royals, made their first joint public appearance last week in Nottingham, visiting community organizations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of visit
Verb
  • The work is intended to help transfer specialized nuclear-submarine design knowledge, improve technical coordination and strengthen the industrial capabilities required to build and sustain advanced submarines over their operational lifetimes.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Expect winds to be sustained winds of 20-25mph with gusts of 30-40mph possible and humidity low overnight recoveries of 30-35% will drop to 15-20% through the morning.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of sustain
Noun
  • Abrupt cessation of this class can even trigger a rebound worse than baseline.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Similarly, access to smoking-cessation treatment and harm-reduction resources varies substantially from country to country.
    — Emma Fenske, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of cessation
Noun
  • Blue Origin also aims to produce nearly all its components and systems in-house, while maintaining support from external suppliers.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Peter and Rebecca’s sister Lauren will serve as Rebecca’s support swimmer.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of support
Verb
  • Another Supreme Court case made injunctions — the court orders that companies historically relied on to halt patent infringement — significantly harder to secure.
    — Andrei Iancu, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Reyes said that additional removals must halt while the case, filed by the DC Preservation League and two golfers earlier this year in hopes of stopping the renovation, underwent further review.
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of halt

Phrases Containing stay

Browse Nearby Words

staving off
stay
stay (at)
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Cite this Entry

“Stay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stay. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stay

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