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Glite Dictionary
to stay on top of

to stay on top of

27 4.1
To keep informed and in control to avoid problems
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : mantenerse al tanto de
  • She uses a planner to stay on top of all her assignments and meetings.
  • stay on top of new

So fine, YouTube, all of it staying on top of the trends.

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Examples

  • Today, a lot of marketers are struggling to find ways to stay on top of social media marketing.

    Blog text (3)

  • I like to stay on top of that stuff.

    Killer Bean Forever (2008)

  • I just wanna stay on top of things this time.

    Big George Foreman (2023)

  • You were supposed to stay on top of this stuff.

    Bob's New Suit (2011)

  • You are the one who needs to stay on top of this, okay?

    Other Voices (2000)

  • We're staying on top of this developing story for you.

    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

  • Thanks again, Larry, for staying on top of situations like this for the fans.

    Blog text (14)

  • An Outlook calendar to help you stay on top of your life.

    Blog text (24)

  • That's a great way to stay on top of your game.

  • How can I stay on top of my health habits in self-care practices?

    Dr. Josh Axe

Synonyms

to keep an eye on
vsto stay on top of
  • Informal
408 2.4

To watch someone or something carefully to make sure nothing bad happens

aims to stay informed and keep matters under control proactively
to stay in control
vsto stay on top of
  • US
264 3.7

Keep power over a situation and stay calm

adds staying informed to maintain control and prevent problems
to keep track
vsto stay on top of
174 2.7

To watch and write down progress or details

aims to both know details and keep control to prevent problems
to keep up with
vsto stay on top of
172 3.5

To learn about the latest news or trends

also requires active control, not just following updates to avoid issues
to keep tabs on
vsto stay on top of
  • Informal
43 3.9

To watch someone or something closely over time to see what happens

focuses more on staying informed rather than holding authority to act
to keep abreast of
vsto stay on top of
8 5.3

To stay informed about recent changes or news in a subject

focuses on both knowing and managing matters to avoid problems
to keep a close watch
vsto stay on top of
8 3.0

Look at a person or thing very carefully for a while to notice problems

emphasizes control and avoidance of problems beyond mere observation
to stay informed
vsto stay on top of
7 3.1

To keep up with the latest news and events

adds active management and control to avoid problems, not just updates
to keep abreast
vsto stay on top of
4 5.6

To stay up to date with new information

adds control and action to mere information to prevent problems

Antonyms

to neglect
256 3.8

Fail to care for someone or something you should look after

to overlook
243 2.9

To not notice someone or something you should see

How Informed

to stay on top of
27 4.1
to keep up with
172 3.5

Surface Forms

stay on top of infinitive
stayed on top of past
stayed on top of past participle
staying on top of present participle
stays on top of third person singular

Morphology

stay + on + top + of

The phrase combines 'stay' (to remain) with the spatial image 'on top of' (being above/over something), so learners can partially infer the sense of maintaining position or control from the constituents. However, the move from a literal spatial relation to the abstract meaning 'remain informed/in control' is a metaphorical extension that is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb stay on top of paints a simple picture: imagine you stay on the top of a pile so you can see everything below and avoid problems. That's why it means 'to remain informed or in control'.