ENGLISH
REFERENCE

keep away

phrasal verb.
A2 Elementary Oxford
Definition

phrasal verb. to stay at a distance from someone or something, or to make someone else stay at a distance.

phrasal verb. to maintain a physical or metaphorical distance from a person, place, or object; can be used intransitively or transitively.

SIMPLE

Please keep away from the edge of the cliff.

CONTEXTUAL

The signs warned visitors to keep away from the construction site for their own safety.

COMPLEX

Despite the lure of high returns, cautious investors decided to keep away from the volatile cryptocurrency market during the recent crash.

  • avoid
  • stay back
  • steer clear of
Particles
away
Separability
optional
Pattern
keep (+ object) + away (+ from + object)
Usage

often followed by the preposition 'from' when an object is specified.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'stay away', which is almost identical but 'keep away' often implies a more active effort to maintain the distance or prevent contact.

Pitfall

Keep away of the fire.Keep away from the fire.the correct preposition to use after 'keep away' is 'from', not 'of'.

Last updated April 24, 2026