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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
The post also included a father and son outdoor snap of Bronze and the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback standing by a gray Easter Bunny bag.
—Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
While most protests appear to be peaceful, there was a large police presence on standby as of 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stand by
Verb
Attacks on civilian targets Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, said Ukraine stood by its proposal for an end to attacks on civilian targets and was ready for any form of discussion to achieve it.
—USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
The post also included a father and son outdoor snap of Bronze and the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback standing by a gray Easter Bunny bag.
—Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
Rotation depth projected as a strength for the Twins this year, with Festa, Matthews and Andrew Morris giving them three MLB-ready top prospects on standby in St. Paul, waiting for an injury (like López’s) or struggles (like Paddack’s) to open the window a crack.
—Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
While most protests appear to be peaceful, there was a large police presence on standby as of 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stand by
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stand by
Noun
-
The pod will also tell the story of Edwards, who last year pled guilty to making indecent images of children having for decades been one of the BBC’s lead anchors.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
30 Apr. 2025
-
In January 2016, former Fox Sports anchor and reporter Julie Stewart-Binks alleged in her complaint that Dixon asked her to come to his hotel room after a work meeting and pushed her against the wall, pinned her arms and forcibly kissed her.—
Andrew Marchand,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
These are the mission-critical applications and platforms that form the backbone of your operations.—
Tomás O’Leary,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
-
The multilateral framework painstakingly built since World War II—with the World Trade Organization as its backbone —is being systematically undermined.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Kris Letang — all the Cup-winning mainstays in Pittsburgh swear by Sullivan.—
Arthur Staple,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
-
By Kathleen Walsh May 1, 2025 Once upon a time, Taylor Swift was a Met Gala mainstay.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
But over the years, the LAFD’s reliance on overtime has generated concerns about fatigue, burnout and whether taxpayer dollars are being used effectively.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Over the past 18 months, Upstart has added prime loans, HELOCs, small-dollar loans, and has enhanced its auto loan product, expanding its addressable market beyond subprime borrowers and reducing its reliance on riskier credit segments.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
For weeks, the White House and Homeland Security officials have defended deporting the 29-year-old Maryland father to a Salvadoran prison, after acknowledging in court that it was done in error and against an immigration judge's court order.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
-
Republicans defend the changes as necessary to prevent fraud in the petition-gathering process, but bill sponsors said that among hundreds of allegations of petition fraud in 2024, there were 18 arrests.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2025
Noun
-
Those pillars don’t change, but AI will influence how they are built.—
Hunter McMahon,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
According to the European Space Agency (ESA), a pillar of cold gas and dust 9.5 light-years tall is unfurling along the length of the new image.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stand by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stand%20by. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share