stay at home

IPA/ˈsteɪ.ətˌhəʊm/
IPA/ˈsteɪ.ətˌhoʊm/

stay at home — verb

  • stay at homepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • stays at home3rd person singular
  • staying at home-ing form
  • stayed at homepast simple

1. to choose to spend time inside your house or apartment instead of going out for

1.verbintransitiveA2
Definition

to choose to spend time inside your house or apartment instead of going out for social or practical reasons — for example, because of bad weather, illness, or a wish to rest.

Example

The Chen family stayed at home and watched a movie after the rain started.

stay at home + infinitive purpose clause

Karim stayed at home all weekend because he was recovering from a bad cold.

stayed at home + time period + reason clause

Common collocations
  • stay at home because of
  • stay at home to
  • decide to stay at home
  • stay at home all day
Synonyms
  • stay in

    less formal; implies a deliberate choice not to go out

  • remain at home

    more formal; often used in written notices or instructions

Antonyms
  • go out

    leave home for social or entertainment purposes

Grammar Patterns

stay at home (no object)

stay at home [to do something]

Usage Note

This sense is intransitive — it never takes a direct object. A purpose clause ("to + verb") or a reason clause ("because…") frequently follows.

Common Mistakes

I stayed at home my books.
I stayed at home and read my books.
'stay at home' cannot take a direct object; add a conjunction and another verb.

2. to not go to a job outside the house, especially because you are looking after y

2.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to not go to a job outside the house, especially because you are looking after young children or family members who need care.

Example

Manuela decided to stay at home and care for her baby after becoming a mother.

stay at home + full-time care purpose

Cyrus stayed at home with his twins for two years before returning to work.

stayed at home + with + time period

Common collocations
  • stay at home with the children
  • stay at home to raise
  • stay at home full-time
  • choose to stay at home
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

stay at home + with [children]

stay at home to [care for / raise]

Usage Note

Often paired with a time phrase (“for two years”) or a role phrase (“with the children”). The focus is on the absence from paid work, not simply being present in the house.

Common Mistakes

She stays at home because it is raining.
She stays at home because she cares for her mother.
Sense 1 is for temporary reasons; sense 2 is about a lifestyle choice involving caregiving.

stay at home — noun

stay at home — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

"Stay-at-home" and "homebody" are the closest synonyms — both describe someone who prefers domestic life over social activities. However, "homebody" is warmer and rarely critical, while "stay-at-home" can carry a mild judgment when used by others. "Shut-in" is more negative, suggesting someone who stays home due to illness or fear rather than choice. "Recluse" and "hermit" imply a much stronger withdrawal from society — a recluse actively avoids all social contact, while a hermit lives in physical isolation. Example: "Aarav is a happy homebody who loves his Netflix evenings" (affectionate). "The old man was a shut-in who never even opened his curtains" (implies sadness or compulsion).

homebody ↗shut-inreclusehermit ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • choose to stay at home
  • decide to stay at home
  • prefer to stay at home
  • a bit of a stay-at-home

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishOld FrenchEnglish

The phrase "stay at home" combines the Old English verb "stǣlan" (to stand, remain) — later influenced by Old French "ester" — with the noun "home" (Old English "hām," meaning dwelling or village). The hyphenated adjective "stay-at-home" appeared in the mid-1800s. By the 20th century, it had expanded from describing a domestic person to specific roles: "stay-at-home mother/father" (1930s-40s, when the breadwinner model was standard) and "stay-at-home defenseman" (ice hockey, mid-1900s, contrasting with "rushing defenseman").