standby

1 of 4

noun

stand·​by ˈstan(d)-ˌbī How to pronounce standby (audio)
plural standbys ˈstan(d)-ˌbīz How to pronounce standby (audio)
1
a
: one to be relied on especially in emergencies
b
: a favorite or reliable choice or resource
2
: one that is held in reserve ready for use : substitute

standby

2 of 4

adjective

1
: held near at hand and ready for use
a standby power plant
standby equipment
2
: relating to the act or condition of standing by
standby duty
a standby period
3
: of, relating to, or traveling by an airline service in which the passenger must wait for an available unreserved seat
standby passengers
a standby ticket

standby

3 of 4

adverb

: on a standby basis
fly standby

stand by

4 of 4

verb

stood by; standing by; stands by

intransitive verb

1
: to be present
also : to remain apart or aloof
2
: to be or to get ready to act
an ambulance was standing by

transitive verb

: to remain loyal or faithful to : defend
stood by his decision
Phrases
on standby
: ready or available for immediate action or use

Examples of standby in a Sentence

Noun More police officers were sent as standbys. We bought an electric generator as a standby. Verb no matter how much people object, I will stand by my decision
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The troopers will assist multiple local law enforcement agencies, and a rapid-response team of 24 troopers will be on standby in the state’s most popular spring break destinations – Panama City, Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami/Miami Beach. Carlos Suarez, CNN, 10 Mar. 2024 Photographers Sam Marquart and Britt Deyan were on standby to capture the intimate moment. Anneke Knot, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 The Texas Department of Transportation is planning to have tow trucks on standby to deal with any incidents. Ryan Erik King / Jalopnik, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 The sophisticated system results in an impressive power reserve of eight to 10 years when in use and 18 years in standby. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024 American’s international plans come as the carrier revamped its AAdvantage loyalty program, introducing members-only benefits like free same-day standby for domestic flights and free 24-hour ticket holds. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 2 Feb. 2024 Search and rescue teams initially hiked to the location with Kentucky State Police on standby. Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 Its aviation unit is on standby until safer flying conditions arise. Austin Mullen, NBC News, 7 Feb. 2024 That includes monitoring a patient's vital signs during treatment and keeping psychiatrists and other mental health practitioners on standby to ensure safety. Dawn Megli | Kff Health News, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2024
Adjective
In standby mode, the élégante will stay running for a staggering 18 years. Carol Besler, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Another warming center would be on standby if more space is needed, Mahan said. Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2024 Finally, a two-second press-and-hold turns an individual earpiece on, while holding the button down for 10 seconds puts both earbuds in standby mode. PCMAG, 26 Jan. 2024 To save battery, the keyboard reverts to standby mode after 10 minutes of activity and also turns off automatically when folded. Jessica MacDonald, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2024 Also, Renew Home, although set to become a major player in the virtual power market, doesn’t plan to add occasional generators, like hospitals and universities, which might have their standby generation available in times of heavy demand from heat or cold. Llewellyn King, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024 Expect up to 230 hours of uninterrupted usage, with up to 180 days of standby battery life. Jessica MacDonald, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2024 While the screenings are already sold out, there will be standby lines available. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2024 Kibbutz Nir Oz Residents of the Kibbutz in Nir Oz in the Gaza Strip were attacked on Oct. 7, hiding in shelters as their houses and vehicles were burned down by Hamas militants with a standby squad standing in front of them until the army arrived at noon. Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 10 Oct. 2023
Adverb
The new policy was announced Sunday, along with another significant change – United travelers can now fly standby for free on flights departing the day of their travel. Susan Glaser, cleveland, 31 Aug. 2020 Silver status grants access to the Priority Reservations Waitlist (a waitlist to get a seat in a higher class) and gives travelers higher priority when flying standby. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2023 Earlier this year, American also eliminated ticketing fees such as charges to fly standby on a same-day domestic flight—which used to cost passengers $75—as well as nixing $150 mileage reinstatement fees for customers who cancel travel originally booked with frequent flier miles. Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Nov. 2020 These days, hardly anyone is aware of the scientific reasoning behind this playground standby. Luke D. Fannin, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Feb. 2023 Flying by plane with the Army usually meant flying standby. Brianna Kwasnik, Arkansas Online, 7 May 2021 All customers with flights scheduled for Wednesday may rebook or fly standby within 14 days of their original travel dates without paying any extra fees. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2023 On Saturday, players and coaches went to the St. Louis airport at 5 a.m. to try to fly standby. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2022 Once, while flying standby back from Europe, I was bumped off a flight 41 times in a row. Apologies. Chuck Wilcoxen, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Nov. 2021
Verb
But the bowls lined with grain stand by themselves, precise yet beautifully earthy. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Bernard wrote that doctors are forced to stand by and watch patients be denied basic health care on a daily basis. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 Robin Quivers, The Howard Stern Show (1981–present) Sidekick to: Howard Stern A supportive and ego-boosting sidekick in the vein of Ed McMahon, Robin Quivers has stood by Howard's side for decades. Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 Members of the federal police stood by as the scene unfolded. Alma Guillermoprieto, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 For too long, career politicians have stood by while corporate special interests write our health policy, which has allowed Big Insurance to restrict us with networks and Big Pharma to price-gouge us year after year. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024 Physical lines require you to stand by your car, sometimes moving it every few minutes. Brad Templeton, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Bronwyn and Slater stood by each other on the right of their mom, while Vance reached an arm around Bassett and posed on her left. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 Hagen, bound by loyalty to the kingdom, is Lord Commander, ready to serve and stand by his king. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'standby.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1712, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1971, in the meaning defined above

Verb

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of standby was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near standby

Cite this Entry

“Standby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standby. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

standby

1 of 4 noun
stand·​by ˈstan(d)-ˌbī How to pronounce standby (audio)
plural standbys -ˌbīz How to pronounce standby (audio)
: one available or to be relied on especially in emergencies

standby

2 of 4 adjective
1
: held near at hand and ready for use
standby equipment
2
: relating to the act of standing by
a standby period
3
: of or relating to a mode of transportation (as airline service) in which the passengers must wait for an available unreserved spot
a standby ticket

standby

3 of 4 adverb
: as a standby passenger
flying standby

stand by

4 of 4 verb
(ˈ)stan(d)-ˈbī
1
: to be present
stood by, watching the game
2
: to be or to get ready to act
ambulances are standing by
3
: to remain loyal or faithful
stood by us to the end
stood by his decision

More from Merriam-Webster on standby

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