delay and stay share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. delay means “cause to be slowed down or delayed”. stay means “stay the same; remain in a certain state”. stay is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/dɪˈleɪ/
1.v.cause to be slowed down or delayed
“Traffic was delayed by the bad weather”
2.v.act later than planned, scheduled, or required
“Don't delay your application to graduate school or else it won't be considered”
3.v.stop or halt
“Please stay the bloodshed!”
/ˈsteɪ/
1.v.stay the same; remain in a certain state
“The dress remained wet after repeated attempts to dry it”
2.v.stay put (in a certain place)
“We are staying in Detroit; we are not moving to Cincinnati”
3.v.dwell
“You can stay with me while you are in town”
| delay | stay | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /dɪˈleɪ/ | /ˈsteɪ/ |
| Said | di-LAY | stay |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 5 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun | verb, noun |
| Senses | 6 | 16 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | detain, hold up | remain, rest |
Full entry for delay · Full entry for stay · More comparisons