Stay out meaning
Stay out means to not come home at night, or come home late. It can also mean to not become involved in something, especially an argument.
stay out
stay out · stayed · staying
My parents let me stay out until eleven on Saturdays.
Stay out meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Not come home at night, or come home late
stay out
- My parents let me stay out until eleven on Saturdays.
- We stayed out dancing until three.
- Why did you stay out so late without calling?
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2
Not become involved in something, especially an argument
stay out
- This is between me and my sister. Stay out of it!
- I try to stay out of office arguments.
- She stayed out of trouble at her new school.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use stay out in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is stay out separable?
Stay out has no object. Add late, all night or until for time: stay out late, stay out until midnight. Add of for what you avoid: stay out of trouble.
Keep out means do not enter, often on signs. Stay out of it is a strong, quite rude way to say do not get involved.
Verb tenses for stay out
| Present | I stay out · she stays out |
|---|---|
| Past | stayed out |
| Present perfect | have stayed out |
| -ing form | staying out |
Common mistakes with stay out
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: Stay out from my room!
Right: Stay out of my room!
Use of, not from.
Wrong: Last night I stayed out the house until two.
Right: Last night I stayed out until two.
Stay out already means away from home. It takes no object.
Wrong: My dad doesn’t let me stay out at late.
Right: My dad doesn’t let me stay out late.
Late works as an adverb here, so no at.
Synonyms and opposites of stay out
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
Opposite
- stay instay at home and not go out
- get involvedtake part in something, like an argument
Stay out quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1It was my birthday, so my parents let me ___ late.
Stay out means come home late.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use stay out of before the thing.
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3Two friends are arguing. One says to you, “Stay out of it!” What does she want?
Stay out of something means do not get involved.
More phrasal verbs with stay
3 phrasal verbs start with stay. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Stay out FAQ
Questions people ask about stay out.
Stay out vs go out: what is the difference?
Go out is the action of leaving home for fun. Stay out is about how long you are away: We went out at eight and stayed out until one.
What does stay out of trouble mean?
It means behave well and avoid problems. Parents often say it to teenagers: Have fun and stay out of trouble.
Stay out vs keep out: what is the difference?
They are close. Keep out is common on signs and means do not enter. Stay out is more for people talking: Stay out of my room.
Use stay out in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.