at bay
idiom
: in the position of being unable to move closer while attacking or trying to approach someone
—used with keep or hold
The soldiers kept the attackers at bay.
—often used figurativelyThe doctors have been able to keep her illness at bay for several months.
Examples of at bay in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The military leaders who took over in Niger accused him of failing to secure the country from the Islamist insurgents, but most analysts say political rivalries were the real cause and that Niger was doing better than its neighbors at keeping armed insurgents at bay.
—
Elian Peltier, New York Times, 4 May 2024
Some creams are believed to keep these scars at bay.
—Tiffany Eve Lawrence, Parents, 3 May 2024
Keeping blister beetles at bay requires a combination of proactive measures and vigilant monitoring.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 2 May 2024
This unregulated charity work is clearly a means for Potts to keep his own demons at bay, but his efforts for others still make for a heartwarming story.
—Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 1 May 2024
And Harper, as the healer Astrov, who drinks too much to keep his self-hatred at bay, is utterly delightful.
—Trish Deitch, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024
There is no cure for rosacea, but keeping up with a skin care regimen can help keep the symptoms at bay.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 24 Apr. 2024
This model has some sleek upgrades to the old-fashioned mason jar—the innovative flip-top lid with handle has an airtight silicone seal that keeps leaks and spills at bay.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2024
Though some foreigners accuse him of stoking a war with Iran for his own personal benefit, in Israel he is often seen as cautiously threading the needle between keeping Iran at bay while avoiding an outright war.
—Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Elian Peltier, New York Times, 4 May 2024
Some creams are believed to keep these scars at bay.
—Tiffany Eve Lawrence, Parents, 3 May 2024
Keeping blister beetles at bay requires a combination of proactive measures and vigilant monitoring.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 2 May 2024
This unregulated charity work is clearly a means for Potts to keep his own demons at bay, but his efforts for others still make for a heartwarming story.
—Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 1 May 2024
And Harper, as the healer Astrov, who drinks too much to keep his self-hatred at bay, is utterly delightful.
—Trish Deitch, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024
There is no cure for rosacea, but keeping up with a skin care regimen can help keep the symptoms at bay.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 24 Apr. 2024
This model has some sleek upgrades to the old-fashioned mason jar—the innovative flip-top lid with handle has an airtight silicone seal that keeps leaks and spills at bay.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2024
Though some foreigners accuse him of stoking a war with Iran for his own personal benefit, in Israel he is often seen as cautiously threading the needle between keeping Iran at bay while avoiding an outright war.
—Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'at bay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near at bay
Cite this Entry
“At bay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20bay. Accessed 13 May. 2024.
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