stand by 1 of 2

verb

Definition of stand bynext
as in to keep (to)
to give steadfast support to no matter how much people object, I will stand by my decision

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

standby

2 of 2

noun

ˈstan(d)-ˌbī How to pronounce standby (audio)
as in anchor
something or someone to which one looks for support our old standby in times of trouble

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stand by
Verb
The presence of Good, standing by her man, cast doubt on Jabbari, who is white, and helped create a counter-narrative: that a good Black man had been bamboozled by a conniving white woman. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2025 Brian Geraghty and Patti Harrison lend some color to Ed and Janie, the contestants who have to stand by and watch Larson’s unprecedented steamroll, while Goggins plays the perfect game show host. — Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
There would also need to be a paramedic or emergency medical technician in the vicinity on standby to provide medical aid, if necessary. — Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025 Remove Stains From Fabric If your carpets or upholstered furniture are attacked by something greasy, leaving a horrible, oily stain, shampoo is on standby to help you out. — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stand by
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stand by
  1. anchor
  2. backbone
  3. mainstay
  4. reliance
  5. defend
  6. pillar
Noun
  • Our economic anchors — health care, professional services and public administration — continue to create jobs and opportunity.
    — Shelonda Stokes, Baltimore Sun, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Speaking of which, this additional setup is secured to the front of the chassis and the rear axle by side anchors.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of anchor
Noun
  • Many Amazon sellers are small business owners relying on the platform as a side job to earn extra income or as the backbone of their small and medium-sized businesses.
    — Jaime Catmull, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • The backbone of the result, which puts them on the verge of qualifying for next year’s World Cup, was their defensive performance.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of backbone
Noun
  • On the front, there's a sheet of Gorilla Glass 3, which has been a mainstay of budget phones for years.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2025
  • While foods like oysters may have their time and place, mainstays of American comfort food such as the hot dog can evoke memories of childhood and patriotism.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of mainstay
Noun
  • UConn is different from most teams in its guard reliance.
    — Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Frequent exposure to allergens can trigger ongoing immune responses that disrupt sleep, lead to fatigue, impact appearance, and increase reliance on medication, Bassett said.
    — John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of reliance
Verb
  • Frazier would protest the bout without Ali, but ended up winning the title against Jimmy Ellis, and defended it four times before losing to Foreman.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The lasting image of her disappointing season was her hands raised in resignation in the Elite Eight against Iowa as she was inexplicably given the task of defending Clark.
    — Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of defend
Noun
  • After so much death, the Millers, pillars of the Jackson community, now have a 5-year-old son, Benjamin (Ezra Benedict Agbonkhese).
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
  • In short, science reveals that sleep is a pillar of human overall health.
    — Ximena Araya-Fischel, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of pillar

Browse Nearby Words

standards
stand by
standby
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Cite this Entry

“Stand by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stand%20by. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

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