stayed back
Didn't move forward
Stayed back means remained in place while others moved on or departed.
Students who stayed back after class lingered to ask questions.
In American education, to stay back (or be held back) is to repeat a grade rather than advance: He stayed back in third grade.
The phrase can also mean kept at a distance: The crowd stayed back from the barrier.
- remainedStayed in place
- lingeredRemained beyond expected
- hung aroundRemained idly present
- shy awayWithdraw from reluctantly
- waitDelay until later
hesitate · reconsider · overtime · after-hours · postpone · endure · delay · halt · persist · stand still · trailed · fell behind · pause · stall · lagged · resist · defer · withdraw
stayed backmoved forward
Changed position ahead
advanced · forged ahead · approached · pushed forward · proceeded
stayed backjoined in
Became part of activity
jumped in · got involved · participated · engaged · stepped up
stayed backprogressed
Moved toward completion
kept up · moved along · advanced · graduated · caught up
stayed, back, stay, stays, staying, stayer, stayers, backs, backed