Keep sb away Meaning, Examples & How to Use This Phrasal Verb

What Does “Keep sb away” Mean?

“Keep sb away” means to prevent someone from coming near or being involved with a person, place, or thing. It is used to express the idea of maintaining distance or avoiding contact with someone.

Introduction

The phrase “keep sb away” is a common phrasal verb in English that helps describe situations where someone or something is deliberately stopped from approaching or getting close. Understanding the keep sb away meaning is useful in many daily contexts, from keeping children away from danger to telling someone to stay away from a private area. This phrase is practical and widely used in both spoken and written English. It helps speakers clearly express the idea of preventing contact or interaction, making communication more precise and effective.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: keep sb away (keep somebody away)
• Type: Transitive
• Level: A2–B2
• Short meaning: To prevent someone from coming near

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Keep sb away” is a transitive and separable phrasal verb. The object (sb = somebody) goes between “keep” and “away.”

• Positive: Keep + somebody + away
• Negative: Don’t keep + somebody + away
• Question: Do you keep + somebody + away?

Example: Keep children away from the fire.

How to Use “Keep sb away”?

You use “keep sb away” when you want to say that someone is stopping another person from coming close or entering a place. It can be used in both formal and informal situations. Often, it is used with people, animals, or objects that might be dangerous, annoying, or unwanted.

For example, you can say, “Please keep the dog away from the guests,” or “She kept her little brother away from the noisy party.”

Examples

Here are some natural sentences using “keep sb away in a sentence”:

• They built a fence to keep strangers away from their property.
• The teacher kept the students away from the broken equipment.
• Parents often keep their children away from harmful substances.
• He tried to keep his enemies away by avoiding crowded places.
• Signs were posted to keep people away from the construction site.

Common Mistakes

Sometimes learners make mistakes by missing the object or misplacing words when using “keep sb away.”

• Incorrect: Keep away the children from the fire.
• Correct: Keep the children away from the fire.
• Incorrect: Keep away from him your friends.
• Correct: Keep your friends away from him.

Remember, the object (sb) should come directly after “keep” and before “away.”

Differences / Synonyms

Similar phrases include “stay away,” “keep off,” and “keep out.” Each has a slightly different meaning:

• Stay away: Suggests someone chooses not to come near voluntarily. Example: “Stay away from that area.”
• Keep off: Usually used for surfaces or land, meaning not to step on or touch. Example: “Keep off the grass.”
• Keep out: Means not to enter a place. Example: “Keep out of the building.”

“Keep sb away” focuses on actively preventing a person from getting near, often by someone else’s action.

Common Collocations

Here are some common words used with “keep sb away”:

• Danger: Keep children away from danger (dangerous places or situations)
• Fire: Keep people away from fire (heat or flames)
• Animals: Keep dogs away from the garden (pets or wild animals)
• Strangers: Keep strangers away from private property
• Noise: Keep children away from loud noise (harmful sound)

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of keep sb away:

• Keep Sth Up
• Keep Sth Out Of Sth
• Keep At Sth
• Keep In With Sb
• Keep Up With Sb

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a short conversation using “keep sb away”:

Anna: Can you keep the kids away from the pool while I prepare lunch?

John: Sure, I’ll watch them carefully.

Anna: Thanks! I don’t want any accidents.

Practice

Try to fill in the blanks with the correct form of “keep sb away”:

• We should _______ the children _______ from the busy road.
• The sign says, “Please _______ people _______ the construction zone.”
• She always tries to _______ her dog _______ from strangers.

FAQs

• Q: Is “keep sb away” formal or informal?

  A: It is suitable for both formal and informal situations.
• Q: Can we use “keep sb away” with animals?

  A: Yes, it is common to use it with animals like dogs or cats.

• Q: What’s the difference between “keep sb away” and “stay away”?

  A: “Keep sb away” means to actively prevent someone, while “stay away” means to choose not to come near.
• Q: Can “keep sb away” be used in the past tense?

  A: Yes, for example, “She kept her brother away from the fight.”

• Q: Is the object always a person in “keep sb away”?

  A: Usually, but it can also be animals or groups of people.