at bay

idiom

: in the position of being unable to move closer while attacking or trying to approach someone

—used with keep or hold

The soldiers kept the attackers at bay.

—often used figuratively

The doctors have been able to keep her illness at bay for several months.

Examples of at bay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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As research develops, scientists have found a couple of compounds in the cannabis plant that might help keep your munchies at bay. —

Rowan Briggs, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024 Adjusting your diet may also help to keep excess bacteria at bay (though no diet has been definitively proven to resolve SIBO). —

Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Oct. 2024 Yahoo News is bringing in a partner to help keep misinformation at bay. —

Brian Steinberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024 While both psilocybin and escitalopram showed comparable improvement in depressive symptoms, people who took psilocybin reported greater joy in their lives — a significant plus in keeping depression at bay. —

Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for at bay