: a game in which two or more players try to keep an object (such as a ball) from one or more other players

Examples of keep-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.
The Stars held possession for a good chunk of it, playing keep-away, sparking cheers from the crowd. Joe Smith, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024 Advertisement Patrick Mahomes played keep-away the rest of the game. Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of keep-away was in 1960

Dictionary Entries Near keep-away

Cite this Entry

“Keep-away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep-away. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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