keep-away

noun

ˈkēp-ə-ˌwā How to pronounce keep-away (audio)
: a game in which two or more players try to keep an object (such as a ball) from one or more other players

Examples of keep-away in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Kings played as Las Vegas did, but their endgame was to play keep-away, not to win the game. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 21 May 2026 When opponents can squeeze your passing game with an offside trap and play keep-away with their goalkeeper, maybe dribbling through midfield isn’t such a bad strategy. — John Muller, New York Times, 6 June 2026 In a best-case scenario, Bedard and McKenna would play keep-away from the defense and set each other up for a plethora of shots. — Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026 Ragin Cajuns call a time out after multiple iterations of keep-away from the Longhorns who kept tipping the ball somehow into the hands of Louisiana. — Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep-away

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of keep-away was in 1960

Browse Nearby Words

keep a watch out for
keep-away
keep a weather eye on
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Keep-away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep-away. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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