Stick around means to stay a bit longer and not leave. Most often people use it about a short time after an event: stick around after the meeting. It is also said about someone who stays in one place for a long time, for example someone who does not leave a company: New staff rarely stick around. The expression is informal and sounds natural in IELTS Speaking.
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stick around (for + time); stick around after + event; stuck around (past)
- Can you stick around after the meeting? I want to show you something.
- We stuck around for another hour to watch the fireworks.
- Good developers rarely stick around for long at that company.
What changed
First versionSorry, I can't delay after the lesson today because I have a dentist appointment.
RevisionSorry, I can't stick around after the lesson today because I have a dentist appointment.
Delay may look like the word for staying a bit longer, but delay means to put something off or make it late: delay a flight, delay a decision. For a person who stays a little longer, say stick around or simply stay. We changed only the verb.
Stay is the neutral word and fits any style: Please stay for dinner. Stick around is more informal and often means “stay a bit, something might happen”: Stick around, the band will play one more song. In an essay, use stay or remain.
Your turn
The concert was over, but the band promised to sign albums, so we ___ for another half hour.
Show the answer
stuck around — We stayed where we were for another half hour to get autographs, so stuck around. Delayed is used about putting off a task or an event; a person does not delay in the sense of staying longer.
Think of an event where you stayed longer than you had planned. Write what it was and why you stayed.
At my friend's birthday party, I stuck around until midnight because we started playing board games.
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