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If you stand pat in draw poker you're betting on the cards in your hand being better than any you're likely to draw. It didn't take long for stand pat to move from the poker table, where it first appeared in the late 1800s, to the realm of politics; by the early 20th century, to stand pat was to oppose any change in U.S. tariff policy. The term continues to be used mainly in U.S. English, where it's applied to everything from a coach's decision not to change out players during a game to a homeowner's decision not to refinance. The nouns standpatter ("one who resists or opposes change") and standpattism ("resistance to change" or "reluctance to take positive action") are also used, although generally only in political contexts.
Examples of standpat in a Sentence
Kansas City Star, 4 July 2025
Whichever team landed the No. 1 pick in this year's draft figured to stand pat, take Duke forward Cooper Flagg and not look back.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
But he’s been through this enough times to know standing pat isn’t prudent.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Brian Gutekunst and the front office may opt to stand pat, but signing another cornerback would be wise.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for standpat
Cite this Entry
“Standpat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standpat. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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stand pat
verb
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