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

Andrews, the Senate’s first female physician and first pediatrician, credits her stance on gun control to her experience treating children who have unintentionally shot themselves after finding an unsecured firearm. — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 8 Nov. 2026

His popularity there, and a change in his stance to embrace strip mining, translated to a landslide win over Republican Cecil Underwood in the 1976 governor's race. — Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026

Spokesperson Josh Hall said the two skydivers, visiting from out of town, were participating in the California Women’s Upright Record team, which was organizing a world-record attempt for the number of women to execute a standing-stance dive. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 7 Nov. 2026

His popularity there — and a change in his stance to embrace strip mining — translated to a landslide win over Republican Cecil Underwood in the 1976 governor’s race. — John Raby, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 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