Meaning & use
staying put
Last updated
Meanings
phraseidiom
Continuing to remain in the same place and not moving away from it.
Grammar: Used after 'be', 'keep', or 'remain' to describe someone or something that does not move.
Patterns
- be staying put
- keep staying put
- remain staying put
The children were told to stay in the car, and they are staying put until we get back.
The cat is staying put on the warm windowsill and refuses to move.
We are staying put in this town for another year before we decide to move.
phraseidiomfigurative
Refusing to change your position, opinion, or plan despite pressure to do so.
Grammar: Often used about jobs, decisions, or opinions that someone keeps rather than changes.
Patterns
- staying put in a job
- staying put on an issue
She is staying put in her current job because she likes the people she works with.
The manager is staying put on his decision, even though some staff disagree.
After thinking about it, they are staying put and not selling the house.
Common combinations
- be staying put
- We are staying put at home this weekend instead of traveling.
- keep staying put
- The dog will keep staying put as long as you give it a treat.
- staying put for now
- The company is staying put for now and will review the plan next year.
- staying put in one place
- Staying put in one place for too long makes me restless.
- decide on staying put
- They decided on staying put rather than moving to a bigger city.
Synonyms and how they differ
- remaining
- More formal and neutral; it can refer to time as well as place, while 'staying put' specifically means not moving from a spot.
- not moving
- A plain phrase that describes the same situation but does not carry the idiomatic, informal tone of 'staying put'.
- stationary
- An adjective used mostly for objects; it fits descriptions of things rather than people who choose to remain.
Opposites
Word family
- stay put phrase
- The base form of the idiom, meaning to remain in one place.
- stay verb
- To continue to be in a place or condition.
Commonly confused: staying put or stay put? staying put or put?
staying put vs stay put
This is the base form; 'staying put' is the -ing form used after 'be', 'keep', or 'remain'.
staying put vs put
'Put' alone means to place something somewhere; 'stay put' is a fixed idiom with a completely different meaning.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'staying put' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Staying put' means remaining in the same place, so 'They are staying put in the same apartment' fits. The other options wrongly use 'put' as a verb meaning 'place' or add a direction that does not match the idiom.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “staying put”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.