outstanding

adjective

out·​stand·​ing au̇t-ˈstan-diŋ 

ˈau̇t-ˌstan-

1

: standing out : projecting

stood on an outstanding rock

2

a

: unpaid

left several bills outstanding

b

: continuing to exist : unresolved

a long outstanding problem in astronomy

was arrested on … an outstanding warrant on a domestic violence charge

—Kathy Hogan

c

of securities : publicly issued and sold

has 20,000 shares outstanding

3

a

: standing out from a group : conspicuous

There are some outstanding exceptions to this rule.

b

: marked by eminence and distinction

an outstanding student

an outstanding achievement

outstandingly

au̇t-ˈstan-diŋ-lē 

ˈau̇t-ˌstan-

adverb

Synonyms

• overdue
• owed
• owing
• payable
• unpaid
• unsettled

Choose the Right Synonym for outstanding

noticeable, remarkable, prominent, outstanding, conspicuous, salient, striking mean attracting notice or attention.

noticeable applies to something unlikely to escape observation.

a piano recital with no noticeable errors

remarkable applies to something so extraordinary or exceptional as to invite comment.

a film of remarkable intelligence and wit

prominent applies to something commanding notice by standing out from its surroundings or background.

a doctor who occupies a prominent position in the town

outstanding applies to something that rises above and excels others of the same kind.

honored for her outstanding contributions to science

conspicuous applies to something that is obvious and unavoidable to the sight or mind.

conspicuous bureaucratic waste

salient applies to something of significance that merits the attention given it.

the salient points of the speech

striking applies to something that impresses itself powerfully and deeply upon the observer's mind or vision.

the region's striking poverty

Examples of outstanding in a Sentence

Tonight we will honor the school's most outstanding students.

You did an outstanding job on the project.

the outstanding quality of your work

a wine that is outstanding in quality

As a president, he was outstanding in many ways.

Her novels are outstanding for their complex characters and interesting plots.

The painting is an outstanding example of the artist's style.

Outstanding among the menu items were the tomato soup and the swordfish.

She had several outstanding parking tickets in her car.

He left a balance of 50 dollars outstanding on his account.

Recent Examples on the Web

Trump Media has nearly 137 million shares outstanding. —Matt Egan, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024

The show’s emphasis is on outstanding natural beauty, the slow dance of cross-cultural romance and gradual enlightenment. —Patrick Frater, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024

Riley has made outstanding contributions to both her school and community. —Marcus Reichley, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2024

The share of borrowers who are behind on their mortgages — defined as a homeowner being 90 days or more past due — stands at 3.88% of all loans outstanding, according to the most recent MBA data. —Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024

Cardoso also racked up 17 rebounds and was named the tournament’s most outstanding player, per NBC News. —Tabitha Parent, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024

That involves kidnapping a photographer (Faye Dunaway, also outstanding) in a desperate moment. —Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024

Both Miron and Newhouse are members of the Newhouse family, which collectively own about 8.1 percent of WBD’s outstanding shares, in addition to large stakes in Charter, Reddit, and private companies like Conde Nast and The Ironman Group. —Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Apr. 2024

The show received an Emmy nomination for outstanding drama series in 2022 for its second season. —Marc Malkin, Variety, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing outstanding

• to good/great/fine/outstanding effect

Kids Definition

outstanding

adjective

out·​stand·​ing -ˈstan-diŋ 

1

: sticking out : projecting

2

a

: not yet paid : unpaid

outstanding bills

b

: continuing in being : unresolved

problems outstanding

3

: attracting notice especially because of excellence

an outstanding scholar

outstandingly

-diŋ-lē 

adverb

Legal Definition

outstanding

adjective

out·​stand·​ing

1

: not paid

had several outstanding debts

2

: publicly issued and sold

a million shares outstanding