At a glance
～にとどまらず means "not limited to ～" or "not only ～ but also". It shows that something goes beyond one range (a place, field or group) and reaches a wider one. It is used in formal and written Japanese.
Verb (dictionary form) / Noun + にとどまらず、[wider range] (も) ～
その人気は国内にとどまらず、海外にも広がっている。 Its popularity is not limited to within the country. It is spreading overseas too.
How to form it
にとどまらず comes from とどまる "to stay, to remain" plus the negative ず: "not staying at ～".
| Attaches to | Form | Example | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb | Dictionary form + にとどまらず | 見るにとどまらず | Formal, written |
| Noun | Noun + にとどまらず | 国内にとどまらず | Formal, written |
The clause after にとどまらず states the wider range. も is often added there for emphasis, but it is optional.