VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

stay on course

phrase·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌsteɪ ɒn ˈkɔːs/
US/ˌsteɪ ɑːn ˈkɔːrs/

Meanings

  1. phraseidiom

    To continue moving in the planned direction, as a ship, aircraft or vehicle does.

    Grammar: Intransitive: the subject is the vehicle or its crew: the ship stayed on course.

    Patterns

    • stay on course for something

    The captain adjusted the sails so the boat would stay on course.

    Autopilot helps the plane stay on course in strong winds.

    The pilot used the compass to stay on course through the fog.

  2. phraseidiomfigurative

    To keep following your plan or goal without being distracted or giving up.

    Grammar: Used for people, teams and projects: we must stay on course.

    Patterns

    • stay on course to do something
    • stay on course for something

    Despite delays, the company is staying on course to open in June.

    She tried to stay on course with her studies during the busy season.

    The team stayed on course and finished the project early.

Word forms

third person singularstays on course
past tensestayed on course
-ing formstaying on course

Common combinations

stay on course for
The economy should stay on course for steady growth.
stay firmly on course
The government wants to stay firmly on course despite criticism.
help someone stay on course
A good coach can help you stay on course.
stay on course to
The runner stayed on course to break the record.
struggle to stay on course
Many new businesses struggle to stay on course in the first year.

Synonyms and how they differ

stay on track
It is the most common everyday alternative and often refers to schedules and goals rather than direction of travel.
keep to the plan
It focuses on following instructions or arrangements rather than direction.
hold steady
It suggests staying stable or unchanged, not necessarily moving toward a goal.
persevere
It is more formal and stresses continuing despite difficulty.

Opposites

go off coursedrift

Word family

course noun
the path or direction of movement
off course adjective
moving in the wrong direction
on course adjective
going as planned
stay the course phrase
to keep going until the end

Commonly confused: stay on course or stay the course? stay on course or coarse?

stay on course vs stay the course

'Stay the course' means keep going despite difficulties, while 'stay on course' means keep going in the right direction.

stay on course vs coarse

Coarse means rough in texture, and is not related to a direction or path.

Practice

Strong winds pushed the boat sideways, but the captain managed to ___ and reach the island.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “stay on course”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words