Delay vs. Stay — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Published on October 3, 2023
Delay refers to postponing or hindering progress. Stay means to remain in a place or situation. Both involve a pause but differ in nature and context.
Difference Between Delay and Stay
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Delay refers to postponing or hindering progress. Stay means to remain in a place or situation. Both involve a pause but differ in nature and context.
Difference between Delay and Stay in 4 or 5 paragraphs:
Delay predominantly signifies the act of postponing an event or hindering its progress. When something is delayed, it does not happen at the originally expected time. Conversely, Stay implies the act of continuing in a situation or place without moving forward or departing. The essence of stay revolves around remaining stable in a particular position or state.
Delay often carries a negative connotation, hinting at inconvenience or disruptions. For instance, a delayed flight might cause passengers to miss connecting flights or important events. Stay, on the other hand, can be either voluntary or involuntary, suggesting an extended period in a particular place or state, without necessarily having a negative implication.
From a linguistic standpoint, Delay can function both as a noun and a verb. As a noun, it denotes the act of postponing; as a verb, it means to cause to be postponed. Stay, too, can be both a noun and a verb, with the noun referring to a period of remaining and the verb denoting the act of remaining.
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In legal contexts, Delay might refer to stalling tactics or postponing a hearing. However, Stay in the legal realm refers to halting or suspending a judicial proceeding or the enforcement of a judgment. Hence, while both terms imply a pause, their applications and nuances differ significantly.
Culturally, Delay tends to be associated with modern lifestyles, where time is of the essence, and any postponement can have cascading effects. Stay, conversely, might evoke thoughts of vacations, long-term residences, or decisions to remain steadfast in one's beliefs or decisions.
Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
Postponement
Remaining in a place or state
Linguistic Function
Both noun and verb
Both noun and verb
Connotation
Often negative (inconvenience)
Neutral or voluntary continuation
Contextual Usage
Time-sensitive situations
Extended durations or permanence
Legal Context
Postponing a hearing
Suspending a judicial proceeding
Compare with Definitions
Delay
Time during which something is postponed.
The train's delay lasted for two hours.
Stay
To remain in a place or position.
I decided to stay at my friend's house for the night.
Delay
Postponement of an event or action.
The heavy rain caused a delay in the game's start time.
Stay
A period of residing in a place.
My stay in New York was unforgettable.
Delay
A period during which something is held back.
There's a brief delay between the lightning and the thunder.
Stay
To continue in a particular state or situation.
Stay calm during emergencies.
Delay
An obstruction in progress.
Technical issues resulted in a delay of the software launch.
Stay
A halt or suspension, especially in legal contexts.
The court issued a stay on the ruling.
Delay
Make (someone or something) late or slow
The train was delayed
Stay
To continue to be in a place or condition
Stay home.
Stay calm.
Delay
A period of time by which something is late or postponed
A two-hour delay
Long delays in obtaining passports
Stay
To remain or sojourn as a guest or lodger
Stayed at a motel.
Delay
To postpone until a later time; defer.
Stay
To linger or wait in order to do or experience something
We stayed to watch the final minutes of the game.
Delay
To cause to be later or slower than expected or desired
Heavy traffic delayed us.
Stay
To continue or persist in an action or activity
Stayed with the original plan.
Stayed in college.
Delay
To act or move slowly; put off an action or a decision.
Stay
To keep up in a race or contest
Tried to stay with the lead runner.
Delay
The act of delaying; postponement
Responded without delay.
Stay
(Games) To meet a bet in poker without raising it.
Delay
The condition of being delayed; detainment.
Stay
(Archaic) To stop moving or stop doing something.
Delay
The period of time during which one is delayed.
Stay
To remain during
Stayed the week with my parents.
Stayed the duration of the game.
Delay
The interval of time between two events.
Stay
To stop or restrain; check
Doubt stayed his hand.
Delay
A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.
The delay before the echo of a sound
Stay
To suspend by legal order the implementation of (a planned action), especially pending further proceedings
Stay a prisoner's execution.
Delay
(music) An audio effects unit that introduces a controlled delay.
Stay
To satisfy or appease temporarily
Stayed his anger.
Delay
Synonym of promise
Stay
(Archaic) To wait for; await
"I will not stay thy questions. Let me go.
/ Or if thou follow me, do not believe / But I shall do thee mischief in the wood" (Shakespeare).
Delay
(chess) An amount of time provided on each move before one's clock starts to tick; a less common time control than increment.
Stay
To brace, support, or prop up
The tower is stayed with cables.
Delay
(ambitransitive) To put off until a later time; to defer.
Stay
To put (a ship) on the opposite tack or to come about.
Delay
To retard; to stop, detain, or hinder, for a time.
The mail is delayed by a heavy fall of snow.
Stay
A brief period of residence or visiting.
Delay
To allay; to temper.
Stay
The order by which a planned action is stayed.
Delay
(obsolete) To dilute, temper.
Stay
The consequence of such an order.
Delay
(obsolete) To assuage, quench, allay.
Stay
The act of halting; check.
Delay
A putting off or deferring; procrastination; lingering inactivity; stop; detention; hindrance.
Without any delay, on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat.
The government ought to be settled without the delay of a day.
Stay
The act of coming to a halt.
Delay
To put off; to defer; to procrastinate; to prolong the time of or before.
My lord delayeth his coming.
Stay
A support or brace.
Delay
To retard; to stop, detain, or hinder, for a time; to retard the motion, or time of arrival, of; as, the mail is delayed by a heavy fall of snow.
Thyrsis! whose artful strains have oft delayedThe huddling brook to hear his madrigal.
Stay
A strip of bone, plastic, or metal, used to stiffen a garment or part, such as a corset or shirt collar.
Delay
To allay; to temper.
The watery showers delay the raging wind.
Stay
Stays A corset.
Delay
To move slowly; to stop for a time; to linger; to tarry.
There seem to be certain bounds to the quickness and slowness of the succession of those ideas, . . . beyond which they can neither delay nor hasten.
Stay
(Nautical) A heavy rope or cable, usually of wire, used as a brace or support for a mast or spar.
Delay
Time during which some action is awaited;
Instant replay caused too long a delay
He ordered a hold in the action
Stay
A rope used to steady, guide, or brace.
Delay
The act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time
Stay
(transitive) To prop; support; sustain; hold up; steady.
Delay
Cause to be slowed down or delayed;
Traffic was delayed by the bad weather
She delayed the work that she didn't want to perform
Stay
(transitive) To support from sinking; to sustain with strength; to satisfy in part or for the time.
Delay
Act later than planned, scheduled, or required;
Don't delay your application to graduate school or else it won't be considered
Stay
To stop; detain; keep back; delay; hinder.
Delay
Stop or halt;
Please stay the bloodshed!
Stay
To restrain; withhold; check; stop.
Delay
Slow the growth or development of;
The brain damage will retard the child's language development
Stay
To cause to cease; to put an end to.
Delay
Act of making something late or slow.
The traffic caused a delay in my arrival.
Stay
To put off; defer; postpone; delay; keep back.
The governor stayed the execution until the appeal could be heard.
Stay
(transitive) To hold the attention of. en
Stay
To bear up under; to endure; to hold out against; to resist.
Stay
To wait for; await.
Stay
To remain for the purpose of; to stay to take part in or be present at (a meal, ceremony etc.).
Stay
To rest; depend; rely.
Stay
To stop; come to a stand or standstill.
Stay
To come to an end; cease.
That day the storm stayed.
Stay
To dwell; linger; tarry; wait.
Stay
To make a stand; to stand firm.
Stay
(intransitive) To hold out, as in a race or contest; last or persevere to the end; to show staying power.
That horse stays well.
Stay
(intransitive) To remain in a particular place, especially for a definite or short period of time; sojourn; abide.
We stayed in Hawaii for a week.
I can only stay for an hour.
Stay
To wait; rest in patience or expectation.
Stay
To wait as an attendant; give ceremonious or submissive attendance.
Stay
To continue to have a particular quality.
Wear gloves so your hands stay warm.
Stay
To live; reside
Hey, where do you stay at?
Stay
To brace or support with a stay or stays
Stay a mast
Stay
To incline forward, aft, or to one side by means of stays.
Stay
To tack; put on the other tack.
To stay ship
Stay
To change; tack; go about; be in stays, as a ship.
Stay
Continuance or a period of time spent in a place; abode for an indefinite time.
I hope you enjoyed your stay in Hawaii.
Stay
(legal) A postponement, especially of an execution or other punishment.
The governor granted a stay of execution.
Stay
(archaic) A stop; a halt; a break or cessation of action, motion, or progress.
Stand at a stay
Stay
A fixed state; fixedness; stability; permanence.
Stay
(nautical) A station or fixed anchorage for vessels.
Stay
Restraint of passion; prudence; moderation; caution; steadiness; sobriety.
Stay
(obsolete) Hindrance; let; check.
Stay
A prop; a support.
Stay
A piece of stiff material, such as plastic or whalebone, used to stiffen a piece of clothing.
Where are the stays for my collar?
Stay
(in the plural) A corset.
Stay
(archaic) A fastening for a garment; a hook; a clasp; anything to hang another thing on.
Stay
(nautical) A strong rope or wire supporting a mast, and leading from one masthead down to some other, or other part of the vessel.
Stay
A guy, rope, or wire supporting or stabilizing a platform, such as a bridge, a pole, such as a tentpole, the mast of a derrick, or other structural element.
The engineer insisted on using stays for the scaffolding.
Stay
The transverse piece in a chain-cable link.
Stay
Steep; ascending.
Stay
(of a roof) Steeply pitched.
Stay
Difficult to negotiate; not easy to access; sheer.
Stay
Stiff; upright; unbending; reserved; haughty; proud.
Stay
Steeply.
Stay
A large, strong rope, employed to support a mast, by being extended from the head of one mast down to some other, or to some part of the vessel. Those which lead forward are called fore-and-aft stays; those which lead to the vessel's side are called backstays. See Illust. of Ship.
Stay
That which serves as a prop; a support.
Trees serve as so many stays for their vines.
Lord Liverpool is the single stay of this ministry.
Stay
A corset stiffened with whalebone or other material, worn by women, and rarely by men.
How the strait stays the slender waist constrain.
Stay
Continuance in a place; abode for a space of time; sojourn; as, you make a short stay in this city.
Make haste, and leave thy business and thy care;No mortal interest can be worth thy stay.
Embrace the hero and his stay implore.
Stay
Cessation of motion or progression; stand; stop.
Made of sphere metal, never to decayUntil his revolution was at stay.
Affairs of state seemed rather to stand at a stay.
Stay
Hindrance; let; check.
They were able to read good authors without any stay, if the book were not false.
Stay
Restraint of passion; moderation; caution; steadiness; sobriety.
The wisdom, stay, and moderation of the king.
With prudent stay he long deferredThe rough contention.
Stay
Strictly, a part in tension to hold the parts together, or stiffen them.
Stay
To stop from motion or falling; to prop; to fix firmly; to hold up; to support.
Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side.
Sallows and reeds . . . for vineyards useful foundTo stay thy vines.
Stay
To support from sinking; to sustain with strength; to satisfy in part or for the time.
He has devoured a whole loaf of bread and butter, and it has not staid his stomach for a minute.
Stay
To bear up under; to endure; to support; to resist successfully.
She will not stay the siege of loving terms,Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes.
Stay
To hold from proceeding; to withhold; to restrain; to stop; to hold.
Him backward overthrew and down him stayedWith their rude hands and grisly grapplement.
All that may stay their minds from thinking that true which they heartily wish were false.
Stay
To hinder; to delay; to detain; to keep back.
Your ships are stayed at Venice.
This business staid me in London almost a week.
I was willing to stay my reader on an argument that appeared to me new.
Stay
To remain for the purpose of; to wait for.
Stay
To cause to cease; to put an end to.
Stay your strife.
For flattering planets seemed to sayThis child should ills of ages stay.
Stay
To fasten or secure with stays; as, to stay a flat sheet in a steam boiler.
Stay
To tack, as a vessel, so that the other side of the vessel shall be presented to the wind.
Stay
To remain; to continue in a place; to abide fixed for a space of time; to stop; to stand still.
She would command the hasty sun to stay.
Stay, I command you; stay and hear me first.
I stay a little longer, as one staysTo cover up the embers that still burn.
Stay
To continue in a state.
The flames augment, and stayAt their full height, then languish to decay.
Stay
To wait; to attend; to forbear to act.
I 'll tell thee all my whole deviceWhen I am in my coach, which stays for us.
The father can not stay any longer for the fortune.
Stay
To dwell; to tarry; to linger.
I must stay a little on one action.
Stay
To rest; to depend; to rely; to stand; to insist.
I stay here on my bond.
Ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon.
Stay
To come to an end; to cease; as, that day the storm stayed.
Here my commission stays.
Stay
To hold out in a race or other contest; as, a horse stays well.
Stay
To change tack, as a ship.
Stay
Continuing or remaining in a place or state;
They had a nice stay in Paris
A lengthy hospital stay
A four-month stay in bankruptcy court
Stay
A judicial order forbidding some action until an event occurs or the order is lifted;
The Supreme Court has the power to stay an injunction pending an appeal to the whole Court
Stay
The state of inactivity following an interruption;
The negotiations were in arrest
Held them in check
During the halt he got some lunch
The momentary stay enabled him to escape the blow
He spent the entire stop in his seat
Stay
(nautical) brace consisting of a heavy rope or wire cable used as a support for a mast or spar
Stay
A thin strip of metal or bone that is used to stiffen a garment (e.g. a corset)
Stay
Stay the same; remain in a certain state;
The dress remained wet after repeated attempts to dry it
Rest assured
Stay alone
He remained unmoved by her tears
The bad weather continued for another week
Stay
Stay put (in a certain place);
We are staying in Detroit; we are not moving to Cincinnati
Stay put in the corner here!
Stick around and you will learn something!
Stay
Dwell;
You can stay with me while you are in town
Stay a bit longer--the day is still young
Stay
Continue in a place, position, or situation;
After graduation, she stayed on in Cambridge as a student adviser
Stay with me, please
Despite student protests, he remained Dean for another year
She continued as deputy mayor for another year
Stay
Remain behind;
I had to stay at home and watch the children
Stay
Stop or halt;
Please stay the bloodshed!
Stay
Stay behind;
The smell stayed in the room
The hostility remained long after they made up
Stay
A trial of endurance;
Ride out the storm
Stay
Stop a judicial process;
The judge stayed the execution order
Stay
Fasten with stays
Stay
Overcome or allay;
Quell my hunger
Stay
To refrain from going away or departing.
Please stay with me during the procedure.
Common Curiosities
What is the primary difference between Delay and Stay?
Delay refers to postponement, while Stay means to remain in a place or state.
Can a Stay be voluntary?
Yes, one can choose to stay somewhere or in a particular state.
Can weather cause a Delay?
Yes, weather can cause delays in travel, events, and more.
Is a Delay always negative?
Often, but not always; it generally suggests inconvenience or disruption.
Is a hotel reservation synonymous with a Stay?
Yes, a hotel reservation often refers to the duration of one's stay.
Can both Delay and Stay function as nouns and verbs?
Yes, both can be used as nouns and verbs.
Does Delay always refer to time?
Primarily, but it can also refer to hindering progress in general.
Can Stay imply emotional support?
Yes, telling someone to "stay" can mean asking for their presence and emotional support.
Does a longer Stay always mean a more extended visit?
Typically, a longer stay refers to a more extended period of residing or remaining.
Is a brief interruption considered a Delay?
Yes, any postponement or hindrance can be termed a delay.
In legal terms, what does a Stay imply?
A Stay in legal terms refers to the suspension of a judicial proceeding.
Can a Delay be indefinite?
It can be, though there is usually an expectation of eventual continuation.
Can a Delay be beneficial?
Occasionally, a delay might provide extra preparation time or avoid potential problems.
Can you Delay a decision?
Yes, one can postpone making a decision, effectively delaying it.
If someone decides not to leave, are they choosing to Stay?
Yes, deciding not to leave means choosing to stay.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
