staunch

1 of 2

adjective

ˈstȯnch 

ˈstänch

variants or less commonly stanch

ˈstȯnch 

ˈstänch,

ˈstanch

1

: steadfast in loyalty or principle

a staunch friend

2

a

: watertight, sound

b

: strongly built : substantial

staunchly adverb

staunchness noun

staunch

2 of 2

verb

ˈstȯnch 

ˈstänch

variant of stanch entry 1

transitive verb

1

: to check or stop the flowing of

stanched her tears

also : to stop the flow of blood from (a wound)

2

a

: to stop or check in its course

trying to stanch the crime wave

b

: to make watertight : stop up

3

archaic : allay, extinguish

Did you know?

Staunch and Stanch

Both stanch and staunch come from the Anglo-French estancher, meaning “to check or stop the flowing of.” Both have been in use for many hundreds of years. And most dictionaries will list them as having the exact same meaning. They are, in fact, variants of each other. But there's a catch: staunch is more commonly used as an adjective (it has several meanings in this role, including “steadfast in loyalty or principle” and "substantial"), and stanch is more commonly used as a verb (common meanings are "to check or stop the flowing of" and "to stop or check in its course"). Here are example of each in typical use:

a staunch supporter/advocate

staunch resistance/allegiance

to stanch the flow/bleeding

stanching the loss of jobs/revenue

Note that saying that something is more commonly used in some way does not necessarily mean that people who choose to use it in the less common way are wrong. There is a considerable body of evidence, from reputable sources, of staunch and stanch being used in their less common roles.

Some people will tell you that you should always keep these words apart, and if you’d like to do this you may find the following sentence of some assistance in helping you to remember the difference: "A staunch friend would help you stanch a bleeding thumb."

Alternatively, you may rely on the time-honored method of people-who-remember-things-poorly and use this limerick:

Tho’ neither stanch nor staunch must conform
To rigid semantical norm
Some editors will blanch,
When encountering stanch
If it’s used in adjective form

Synonyms

Adjective

• constant
• dedicated
• devoted
• devout
• down-the-line
• faithful
• fast
• good
• loyal
• pious
• steadfast
• steady
• true
• true-blue

Choose the Right Synonym for staunch

faithful, loyal, constant, staunch, steadfast, resolute mean firm in adherence to whatever one owes allegiance.

faithful implies unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted.

faithful to her promise

loyal implies a firm resistance to any temptation to desert or betray.

remained loyal to the czar

constant stresses continuing firmness of emotional attachment without necessarily implying strict obedience to promises or vows.

constant friends

staunch suggests fortitude and resolution in adherence and imperviousness to influences that would weaken it.

a staunch defender of free speech

steadfast implies a steady and unwavering course in love, allegiance, or conviction.

steadfast in their support

resolute implies firm determination to adhere to a cause or purpose.

a resolute ally

Examples of staunch in a Sentence

Adjective

She is a staunch advocate of women's rights.

He's a staunch believer in the value of regular exercise.

I'm one of his staunchest supporters.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Unions have historically been viewed as staunch defenders of workers' rights and collective-bargaining power. —Isabel Blank, National Review, 25 Apr. 2024

For staunch partisans on either side of the aisle, the best intervention focused on highlighting the value of environmental purity and compliance with authority figures, like scientists or political and military leaders, as the reasons for taking climate action. —TIME, 22 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English staunche, stanch "watertight, solidly made, in good repair," borrowed from Anglo-French estanc, feminine estaunche "stanched (of blood), watertight," derivative of estancher "to stop (blood from flowing), (of a wound) stop bleeding, (of water) be stanched, dry up" — more at stanch entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Kids Definition

staunch

1 of 2

variant of stanch entry 1

staunch

2 of 2 adjective

variants or stanch

ˈstȯnch,

ˈstänch

1

a

: watertight sense 1, sound

a staunch ship

b

: strongly built : substantial

staunch foundations

2

: steadfast in loyalty or principle

a staunch friend

staunchly adverb

Medical Definition

staunch

variant of stanch