stay behind

idiom

: to not leave at the present time
You can go on ahead. I'll stay behind to help clean up.

Examples of stay behind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Guardia Civil and customs officers in rigid-hulled inflatables patrol the spectator zones, ensuring all boats stay behind the line. Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2024 Their mother, Chicago police Sgt. Cindy Ramos, typically had to stay behind and work. Stacy St. Clair, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2024 That means two of the four people originally planned to fly on the mission—three NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut—would have to stay behind on Earth. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Aug. 2024 The reasons are partly anthropomorphic — these large, gangly birds are fiercely protective of their young, and the fathers stay behind to rear the chicks after the mothers fly on to central Mexico or some other wintering grounds. Krista Stevens, Longreads, 8 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for stay behind 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stay behind.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near stay behind

Cite this Entry

“Stay behind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stay%20behind. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

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