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

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.

In a region popular with surfers, the National Weather Service office in the San Francisco Bay Area warned the public to stay away from the shore. —

Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024 The Weather Service advised people to stay away from the water’s edge and watch for waves. —

Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2024 He was prohibited from contacting his younger brother, who had joined him in the fatal robbery, and strongly advised by the parole board to stay away from his mother, who gave him the gun used in the robbery and then made national news by testifying against him in his trial. —

Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024 Monkeys have been spotted roaming in unusual places in central Florida recently — and the police are warning residents to stay away. —

Kerry Breen, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stay away