stance

noun

ˈstan(t)s 

1

chiefly Scotland

a

: station

b

: site

2

a

: a way of standing or being placed : posture

b

: intellectual or emotional attitude

took an antiwar stance

3

a

: the position of the feet of a golfer or batter preparatory to making a swing

b

: the position of both body and feet from which an athlete starts or operates

Synonyms

• posture
• attitude

Examples of stance in a Sentence

a slightly aggressive stance

Recent Examples on the Web

What is Maria Lazar's stance on Act 10, union rights? —Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025

Both parents and students shared that a school's political leaning is a factor in their decision-making, with 70% of parents saying that the state in which the college is located matters to them, considering the state's political stance. —De Elizabeth, Parents, 1 Oct. 2025

Core inflation has eased from its 2022 highs, yet Sløk warns strong growth combined with an easier monetary policy stance could rekindle price pressures. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025

Advertisement His speech was another signal that the new pope, whose views on many issues remain unclear, is likely to take the same hardline stance on climate change as his predecessor. —Simmone Shah, Time, 1 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English stance, staunce, from Middle French estance position, posture, stay, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *stantia, from Latin stant-, stans, present participle of stare to stand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing stance

• closed stance
• open stance

Rhymes for stance

• chance
• dance
• glance
• hance
• hanse
• lance
• manse
• prance
• trance
• advance
• askance
• enhance

Kids Definition

stance

noun

ˈstan(t)s 

1

: a way of standing or being placed : posture

a soldier with an erect stance

2

: a way of thinking or feeling

took an opposing stance on the issue