Cool MateStay away vs You stay gone
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Stay away
Top 3,000 (common)
You stay gone
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Stay away
| Stay away | You stay gone | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //steɪ əˈweɪ//🇺🇸 //steɪ əˈweɪ// | 🇬🇧 //juː steɪ gɒn//🇺🇸 //ju steɪ ɡɔn// |
| Meaning | Do not go near someone or something. | You are not here. |
| Example | You should stay away from that area at night. | After the argument, I told him, 'You stay gone.' |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| Collocations | stay away from trouble, stay away from dangerous places, stay away from negative people | stay gone forever, want you to stay gone, please stay gone |
| Antonyms | approach, come near | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'stay out' which has a different meaning., Incorrectly using 'stay away' without 'from'., Using it in a formal context. | Confused with 'stay here' (meaning to remain present)., Used inappropriately for formal contexts., Omitting 'you' when addressing someone directly. |
| Usage notes | Use 'stay away' when advising caution. It's informal and might not be suited for formal writing. | Used to express that someone is away or not returning, often implies disappointment or sadness. |
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Frequently asked questions: Stay away vs You stay gone
What's the difference between Stay away and You stay gone?
Stay away: Do not go near someone or something. You stay gone: You are not here.
Which is more common: Stay away and You stay gone?
Stay away is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Stay away: You should stay away from that area at night. You stay gone: After the argument, I told him, 'You stay gone.'
Can I use Stay away and You stay gone interchangeably?
Not always. Stay away and You stay gone are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.