STAYS Synonyms: 234 Similar and Opposite Words

stays 1 of 4

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of stay

as in remains

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

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stops

to bring (something) to a standstill stay the trial until this new evidence has been processed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in waits

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

as in visits

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

stays

2 of 4

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of stay

as in sustains

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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stays

3 of 4

noun (1)

plural of stay

as in sojourns

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

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as in halts

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stays

4 of 4

noun (2)

plural of stay

as in supports

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

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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 stays

Verb

Tim Cook stays close to Apple Tim Cook became Apple’s executive chair after John Ternus succeeded him as CEO, with a $2 million annual salary and a $45 million target-value equity award. — Diane Brady, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026 Trailing the 2010s trilogy by long enough that a genuine pandemic happened in the interim, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes stays within the continuity of those movies while introducing new characters and a further-future setting. — Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026 Bookings for the tent are open now for weeknight and weekend stays until the end of November 2026. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026 As Gibney locks in during the editing session, all of that future noise stays outside. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 Book the Golden Season Getaway and get up to 20% off stays through March 31, 2027. — South Seas Island Resort, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026 And last Friday, Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh signaled that the central bank may still have to lift its short-term rate in the coming months if inflation stays stubbornly elevated. — Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 Anything customers feel strongly about stays human regardless. — Manish Garg, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 The intention is for the 18-year-old to return to Genk on loan for the 2026-27 season, but this is dependent on whether or not Liverpool No 2 Giorgi Mamardashvili stays beyond the deadline. — The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Noun

Halting overnight stays at the park because of a lack of water is rare, although the pipeline frequently has failed over the years. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 How to Book Miraval Arizona is part of the World of Hyatt loyalty program, allowing members to earn and redeem points for stays. — Jessica Ritz, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026 Dipaola found that there was unexpected interest in the Airstreams for more recreational, short-term stays, and as demand grew, his housing experiment evolved into the beginnings of the hospitality experience that the company offers today. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026 Her longest stays are in Los Angeles, New York City, Amsterdam, London, and Barcelona. — Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 28 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, jail stays are booming, especially in rural and suburban places. — Ella Siegrist, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026 In Pinellas, where opposition has been quieter, the rebookings slowed in January, but single stays exceeding 72 hours started to climb. — Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2026 Travelers looking for an in-state getaway can also book vacation packages from Denver that combine the train with hotel stays and attractions in Glenwood Springs. — Jocelyn Rowley, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2026 Keep your security software updated and make sure real-time protection stays turned on. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stays

Verb

His future remains uncertain with the team currently rostering four QBs.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
But research that began in the 1990s has shown that something sparked an acceleration of the universe’s expansion about 6 billion years ago, and the cause remains unknown.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of remains

Verb

The metalpoint tool sometimes slips or skitters; the fountain pen sometimes stops working—though, deprived of vision, the artist is unaware, and keeps drawing the now-invisible line.

— Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
There’s a tender, surprising moment of reconciliation in the novel’s final pages — the place where story stops.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of stops

Verb

In the film, Jasper dies after Bangley waits until the last minute to pick off some invaders that target Hig and his dog.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
The venture team owns the company relationship, the infrastructure team waits for scale, and the credit team waits for operating history.

— Rob Day, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of waits

Verb

In October, Griff visits schools dressed as a book character while Bell reads the corresponding story to children, creating a tradition that is equal parts literacy lesson and bulldog theater.

— Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
In this week's installment of Far-Flung Postcards, NPR's Jane Arraf visits Karbala, Iraq, where more than 20 million Shia Muslims gathered to commemorate Arbaeen.

— Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of visits

Noun

The program spends more than $100 billion each year on long-term services and supports, Andrew Biggs, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank based in Washington, wrote in July.

— Lorie Konish, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Its supports touch down like elephant feet, bolstering what could be a mammoth spacecraft, landing delicately next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of supports

Cite this Entry

Style

“Stays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stays. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of stays

verb (1)

verb (2)

noun (1)

noun (2)

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