stand-in

1 of 2

noun

ˈstand-ˌin 

1

: someone employed to occupy an actor's place while lights and camera are readied

2

: substitute

stand in

2 of 2

verb

stood in; standing in; stands in

intransitive verb

: to act as a stand-in

see also:

stand in with

Synonyms of stand-in

Noun

• substitute
• replacement

Verb

• substitute
• fill in
• step in
• take over

Examples of stand-in in a Sentence

Noun

hired him at the last minute as a stand-in for the person who quit

Verb

she will be standing in for the regular teacher for a week

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

While the original movie used Washington State's Whidbey Island as a stand-in for New England, production for the sequel moved to the United Kingdom. — Alex Jhamb Burns, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026

Even college baseball — with its shorter schedule and regular off days — is no stand-in for the grind of a minor league season, which includes at least twice as many games as an elite NCAA program plays in a year. — Chad Jennings, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Verb

In one sequence, Sam stands in the middle of a rope bridge, catching a gold bar thrown at him from one side of a gorge, and then throwing it to the other side quickly enough that the weight of the gold doesn’t snap the precarious wooden planks. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026

One typical millionaire profiled by the economists is Dick Portillo, who grew up poor in a Chicago housing project and started a hot dog stand in 1963 with a $1,100 investment. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1904, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stand-in

• akin
• auxin
• buckskin
• chagrin
• crankpin
• deerskin
• foreskin
• fuchsin
• herein
• kingpin
• linchpin
• pigskin

Kids Definition

stand-in

1 of 2 noun

ˈstan-ˌdin

1

: someone employed to occupy an actor's place while lights and camera are readied

2

: substitute entry 1

stand in

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)stan-ˈdin

: to act as a stand-in