Phrase guide

stay put

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To remain in one fixed place

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • I'm not moving there; I'd rather stay put.
  • I keep adjusting the focus, but it won't stay put.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

stay put (in a certain place)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We are staying in Detroit; we are not moving to Cincinnati
  • Stay put in the corner here!
  • Stick around and you will learn something!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stay, stick, stick around

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stay in place

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: pysyä paikoillaan — to remain in one fixed place
  • Finnish: jököttää — to remain in one fixed place
  • German: sich nicht vom Fleck rühren — to remain in one fixed place
  • Hungarian: helyben marad — to remain in one fixed place
  • Italian: starsene — to remain in one fixed place
  • Norwegian Bokmål: bli — to remain in one fixed place
  • Norwegian Bokmål: bli rolig — to remain in one fixed place
  • Norwegian Bokmål: bli der man er — to remain in one fixed place
  • Norwegian Bokmål: holde seg i ro — to remain in one fixed place
  • Russian: остава́ться на ме́сте (ostavátʹsja na méste) — to remain in one fixed place
  • Russian: оста́ться на ме́сте (ostátʹsja na méste) — to remain in one fixed place
  • Spanish: quedarse en un sitio fijo — to remain in one fixed place