stance

noun \ ˈstan(t)s \

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Definition of stance

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

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Recent Examples of stance from the Web

Trump’s noncommittal stance on the status of Crimea may stem from the desire to pursue better relations with Russia, but this is misguided.

— nina jankowicz, The New Republic, "Available in Helsinki: the Fate of Eastern Europe," 13 July 2018
The party was not trusted on the economy and was associated with stances on welfare, gay rights and the death penalty that too many voters found strange or threatening.

— The Economist, "Fork in the roadShould the party move to the left or to the centre?," 12 July 2018
With a wider than shoulder width stance, bend your knees and step up with your right foot, skipping one step.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Stepping up your training can boost your heart, lower-body muscles," 11 July 2018
And tucked into the decision was a reference to promoting public health, a stance that was reiterated this week by a Russian delegate to a United Nations forum on patents, according to one attendee.

— ed silverman, STAT, "A Russian court grants a compulsory license for a best-selling Celgene drug," 10 July 2018
Since Trump took office, Sherk's hard-line stance has helped guide the ongoing power struggles with the unions, according to Trump advisers.

— lisa rein, Anchorage Daily News, "New curbs on federal unions begin to take effect," 9 July 2018
California voters may have some concerns about Feinstein, but for most of them, a tough stance against military-style assault weapons isn’t one of them.

— john wildermuth, SFChronicle.com, "Gun rights group goes after Feinstein, which won’t bother Feinstein," 6 July 2018
This is not a commentary on Brown's policy stances or social viewpoints.

— jason williams, Cincinnati.com, "PX column: Why Sherrod Brown could be Democrats' best hope for defeating Donald Trump," 6 July 2018
As Wilkinson explained in The Washington Post’s very own pages, the restaurant had maintained a politically neutral stance for a decade and she was concerned about the repercussions in the pro-Trump town.

— mari uyehara, GQ, "Blacklist Every Last One of Them," 26 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of stance

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year