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 of stance

• posture
• attitude

Examples of stance in a Sentence

a slightly aggressive stance

Recent Examples on the Web

Beijing will likely remain in a wait-and-see mode and reassess its policy stance in July after the second quarter GDP data, Zhang said. —Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 18 May 2026

Warsh has been critical of the decision-making of the Fed under Powell’s leadership, and argues for a fundamentally more dovish policy stance while his predecessor has favored a wait-and-see approach. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 17 May 2026

But the latest soccer event won’t likely signal any thaw in their long-strained ties, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un maintaining his confrontational stance against South Korea. —ABC News, 17 May 2026

Chinese officials were unsure what to make of Pete Hegseth’s presence — whether it was meant to convey a softer stance, a hardening one, or simply an ignorance of basic diplomatic protocol. —Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026

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