18+ Synonyms for Stay & Similar Words
Definition of stay
- noun
- continuing or remaining in a place or state; "they had a nice stay in Paris"; "a lengthy hospital stay"; "a four- month stay in bankruptcy court"
- the state of inactivity following an interruption; "the negotiations were in arrest"; "held them in check"; "during the halt he got some lunch"; "the momentary stay enabled him to escape the blow"; "he spent the entire stop in his seat"
- a judicial order forbidding some action until an event occurs or the order is lifted; "the Supreme Court has the power to stay an injunction pending an appeal to the whole Court"
18 synonyms found
Writing tips for "stay"
Choosing the right synonym depends on context, tone, and audience. Words like abide, appease, arrest can replace "stay" depending on the shade of meaning you need. In poetry and songwriting, swapping synonyms lets you match a rhyme scheme or meter without changing your meaning. In prose, varying your word choice avoids repetition and keeps readers engaged.
With 18 alternatives available, "stay" gives you flexibility across registers — from formal to casual, from literary to conversational. Try pairing these synonyms with our rhyme finder to discover words that both mean and sound like what you need.
"Stay" in song lyrics
See how stay is used in real songs:
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"Now it looks as though they're here to stay"
1.4.0. Productions f/ Lenore, Shawn Wigs — Yesterday -
"Will make any man want to stay"
2 Live Crew — C'mon Babe -
"that wanna sponser her clothes and her new place to stay"
2Phace f/ Slim Thug — Shake Somethin